Ohio State improved to 3-0 on the season in a 49-14 win over Marshall where the offense was elite but the defense left some things to be desired On this episode of Buckeye Talk, Stephen Means, Stefan Krajisnik and Andrew Gillis discuss what they learned about OSU after Week 4. They discuss the positives from an explosive day on offense and a fiery Ryan Day. Then they discuss the absence of defensive tackle Tyleik Williams and the latest problem on special teams. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Friday Buckeye Talk, Stephen Means, Stefan Krajisnik and Andrew Gillis break down Ohio State's game against Marshall and make their picks. Here’s what gets discussed: What you want to see from Ohio State in its final non-conference game. What you are 100% confident you will see from Ohio State in its final non-conference game. The trio returns to make their game picks. Plus a look at some non-OSU games that might matter to the Buckeyes. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode of Buckeye Talk, we analyze the impact Chip Kelly has had on Ohio State football's 2024 offense. Stephen Means, Stefan Krajisnik and Andrew Gillis look at every angle of why it was so important that the first person Ryan Day gave up play-calling duties to is his former mentor and what that says about the program overall. In doing so, they answer a series of questions: Where Kelly's influence is felt the most in terms of offensive philosophy Where Kelly's influence is felt the most in terms of position group What's OSU's fastball offensively? The biggest difference between Day now and a year ago Was Kelly the perfect hire? What if Bill O'Brien never left for Boston College? What this hire says about how Day has evolved in terms of his hiring practices. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ohio State resumes its 2024 season when it returns to the field on Saturday to face Marshall. On this episode of Buckeye Talk, Stephen Means takes rants from the Subtext subscribers on how they feel about OSU after seeing two games and spending the bye week watching the rest of the nation. Comments were put into two categories: Something you've loved about Ohio State. Something that still makes you nervous about their national title chances. The responses provided a variety of answers all of which were discussed in detail. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Buckeye Talk's in-season Monday pod is back where Stephen Means and Stefan Krajisnik break down the game. With Ohio State on a bye week, we instead look around the country at some of its top competition for the national title. Things are broken into these categories: Which teams have actually looked like threats to Ohio State this year? Which teams aren’t you as afraid of as you thought you’d be?  A team you have your eye on that’s percolating in the background. A rant from Stephen on OSU's championship odds. What we want to learn about Ohio State coming out of the bye week. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode of Buckeye Talk, we evaluate the first two weeks of the Ohio State football season breaking things down into a few categories while also making a few more predictions. Among the things Stephen Means, Stefan Krajisnik and Andrew Gillis discuss: The Biggest Surprise One thing we got right and wrong Most underrated player A new Mark it Down prediction and Driving a second bus. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ryan Day and Jim Knowles spoke as Ohio State heads into its first of two bye weeks of the 2024 season, which Day has classified as an ‘Improvement week.’ On this episode of Buckeye Talk, Stephen Means and Stefan Krajisnik break down everything they had to say heading into the first Bye Week Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Buckeye Talk's in-season Monday pod is back where Stephen Means and Stefan Krajisnik break down the game looking at Ohio State's 56-0 win over Western Michigan. Each week the breakdown will be broken up into three categories: Quarterback Talk: Discussing the best and worst thing we saw from the QB and if his upside flashed in any capacity Offensive Talk: What's the best and worst play from the offense plus who who thought was the Player of the Game Defensive Talk: What's the best and worst play from the defense plus who who thought was the Player of the Game A look at why Texas' win over Michigan matters so much to the Buckeyes. Then they'll close things out every week by answering one question: Did the Buckeyes look like a College Football Playoff team? Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Friday Buckeye Talk, Stephen Means, Stefan Krajisnik and Andrew Gillis break down Ohio State’s Week 2 opponent Western Michigan and make their picks. Here’s what gets discussed: What do you want to see from Ohio State’s offense and defense in a game where the talent is so lopsided? The trio returns to make their game picks. Plus a look at some non-OSU games that might matter to the Buckeyes. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This Thursday episode of Buckeye Talk is brought to you solely on behalf of the texter community delivering questions about practically everything under the sun. Among the topics discussed by Stephen Means, Stefan Krajisnik and Andrew Gillis: Biggest flukes the first week of the college football season Comparing Will Howard to Kyle McCord How long Devin Brown can hold off Julian Sayin for QB2 Is Jeremiah Smith already OSU's best wide receiver A rival vs the SEC Plus plenty more Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ryan Day, Chip Kelly and Will Howard spoke as Ohio State prepares for its Week 2 opponent Western Michigan on Saturday. On this episode of Buckeye Talk, Stephen Means and Stefan Krajisnik break down everything they had to say heading into Week 2. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ohio State's been busy on the recruiting trail even with the start of the 2024 season. Over the past two weeks, its top-rated 2025 recruiting class added two more members putting the class at 26 commits. That makes it the largest class of the Ryan Day era passing his 2020 class which held 25. On this episode of Buckeye Talk, Stephen Means and Andrew Gillis break down the latest additions and what they bring to the class. Then they have a lengthy conversation about five-star quarterback commit Tavien St. Clair and how his growing superstardom is preparing him for the SU spotlight. Plus, a look at two 2026 five-stars who may reclassify and who Andrew thinks could commit to Ohio State next. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk.Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Buckeye Talk's in-season Monday pod is back where Stephen Means and Stefan Krajisnik break down the game starting with the season-opener against Indiana in which Ohio State won 52-6. Each week the breakdown will be broken up into three categories: Quarterback Talk: Discussing the best and worst thing we saw from the QB and if his upside flashed in any capacity Offensive Talk: What's the best and worst play from the offense plus who who thought was the Player of the Game Defensive Talk: What's the best and worst play from the defense plus who who thought was the Player of the Game A look at the game's around the country that matter to Ohio State Then they'll close things out every week by answering one question: Did the Buckeyes look like a College Football Playoff team? Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ohio State opened up the 2024 season with a 52-6 win over Akron that started slow but ended with plenty of points on both sides of the ball On this episode of Buckeye Talk, Stephen Means, Stefan Krajisnik and Andrew Gillis discuss what they learned about OSU after Week 1. They discuss the positives and negatives from an up-and-down day on offense. Then on defense, highlight the players that immediately stood out. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Friday Buckeye Talk, Stephen Means, Stefan Krajisnik and Andrew Gillis break down Ohio State's season-opener against Akron and make their picks. Here's what gets discussed: What do you want to see from Ohio State's offense and defense in a game where the talent is so lopsided? The trio returns to make their game picks. Plus a look at some non-OSU games that might matter to the Buckeyes. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ryan Day, Jim Knowle and Will Howard spoke as Ohio State prepares for its 2024 season-opener against Akron on Saturday. On this episode of Buckeye Talk, Stephen Means and Stefan Krajisnik breakdown everything they had to say heading into Week 1. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ohio State will begin its journey toward winning a national title in 2024 when it opens its season against Akron on Saturday. On this episode of Buckeye Talk, Stephen Means takes questions from the Subtext subscribers on what to expect from OSU after a month from fall camp which featured the chance to watch five practices. Among the questions include comparing Will Howard to Kyle McCord, the future of the quarterback room, the offensive line and much more. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The 2024 college football season has arrived, and Stephen Means, Stefan Krajisnik and Andrew Gillis are making their playoff picks on the final Mark It Down Monday before the Ohio State Buckeyes open the season against Akron on Saturday. The conversation starts by discussing what they think OSU's 12-game regular season record might be and whether they think it win the Big Ten Championship. Then they discuss who gets the top four seeds in the College Football Playoff and who makes the Final Four. Finally, they reveal who they think will win the national title. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Tuesday Buckeye Talk, Stephen Means, Stefan Krajisnik and Andrew Gillis Gillis decide who Ohio State's top 24 players are in the only way they know how, by drafting. The top of the list is heavy on defense even being headlined by two players who’ve yet to even take a snap as Buckeyes. But the most intriguing part of the conversation was figuring out where to put WIll Howard on this list in the preseason and whether he needs to continue to move up it if OSU hopes to maximize its national championship chances. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It’s another Mark It Down Monday, and as the 2023 college football season draws near, it’s time for Stephen Means, Stefan Krajisnik and Andrew Gillis to check in with some major predictions. In this episode, it’s the Heisman Trophy and Ohio State recent history of finalists. Since Ryan Day arrived in 2017, OSU has had at least one finalist in all but two years. Three have been quarterbacks plus a wide receiver and a defensive end. Can that run continue in 2024? They each provide who they think will be the top four for the award and why they picked the winner. Plus a conversation about whether a third non-quarterback could join Chase Young and Marvin Harrison Jr. by doing so. Thanks for listening to another Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ohio State has finally picked its starting quarterback. Ryan Day announced on Thursday that Will Howard has won the job even suggesting that he's created a ton of space between him and the next guy. On this episode of Buckeye Talk, Stephen Means, Stefan Krajisnik and Andrew Gillis discuss what naming Howard the starter means. Then they have a conversation about another quarterback battle that impacts the position's future. Then they close with a conversation about OSU's offensive line halfway through fall camp.= Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode of Buckeye Talk, the hosts discuss the most important non-Ohio State football games for Ohio State fans. Stephen Means, Stefan Krajisnik and Andrew Gillis take a look around the country discussing games of different levels of national importance that still matter to OSU. Some of them have a direct impact on their path to a Big Ten title. Others are about looking ahead to potential College Football Playoff matchups. Then there are others that are just about personal interest during the two bye weeks. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's another Mark it Down Monday as Stephen Means, Stefan Krajisnik and Andrew Gillis discuss who they think will be the next Ohio State players to earn trees in Buckeye Grove as first-team All-Americans. As part of the discussion the three talk: Will a defensive player earn the honor after not having a single player do so for the past three seasons? OSU has constantly had elite quarterback play, but had one earn a tree since 2006. Does that drought end in 2024? How many first-team All-Americans will Ohio State have and which side of the ball will have more? Thanks, as always, for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ohio State could be one step closer to naming a starting quarterback following its seventh preseason practice. Head coach Ryan Day spoke like someone close to making a decision using some language similar to the last time he narrowed in on a guy during fall camp back in 2021. As OSU heads into its first scrimmage on Saturday, what are the chances by this time next week the quarterback battle is over? Stephen Means, Stefan Krajisnik and Andrew Gillis discuss that plus the health of the offensive line room Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode of Buckeye Talk, Stephen Means, Stefan Krajisnik and Andrew Gillis discuss Jim Harbaugh and Michigan's first punishment along with Ohio State's running backs and linebackers. They look at the NCAA's ruling on the Wolverines' recruiting violation and what that could mean for its sign-stealing allegations. Then they discuss what they learned from James Laurinaitis' linebackers and Carlos Locklyn's running backs. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode of Buckeye Talk, we discuss Ohio State's quarterback battle. Stephen Means, Stefan Krajisnik and Andrew Gillis discuss the idea of the Buckeyes using whoever wins the job more in the run game. Then a conversation about the benefits of continuing to roll guys during the early days of preseason camp. Plus, a conversation about whether the battle is actually over and the real competition is for a different role. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode of Buckeye Talk Stephen Means, Stefan Krajisnik and Andrew Gillis make some interesting stat predictions for Ohio State's 2024 season. Here are the stat topics the trio discussed: How many passing yards and touchdowns will the starting quarterback have? The combined yards of TreVeyon Henderson and Quinshon Judkins OSU’s leader in receiving yards. How many 1,000-yard receivers will there eye? How many carries will Dallan have Tight end receptions Yards per play for both the offense and defense The defense’s sack and tackle leaders A record we predict will be broken Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ohio State went through its first day of fall camp practice and the media was able to watch all of it. Right after head coach Ryan Day spoke at the start of camp meaning Stephen Means, Stefan Krajisnik and Andrew Gillis had a ton to talk about. Among the things discussed: Is Tegra Tshabola making a push to start? How the defense is deploying a deep cornerback room What's up with the linebackers? Who flashed on Day 1 Day's plan for picking a starting quarterback Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The time has come once again on Buckeye Talk to drive the bus as Ohio State prepares for the 2023 season. Stephen Means, Stefan Krajisnik, Andrew Gillis and the text subscribers offer up the Ohio State football players they believe in the most for the 2024 season. Which players will pop? Which backups will earn more playing time? Which good players will be great? Which great players will become legends? Each gives their player, plus whether or not their crazy predictions for the season align with the texters. Thanks, as always, for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ohio State heads into fall camp with the nation's top recruiting class, having landed many of those members over the past two months. OSU has once again used June to host the bulk of its official visits and find success because of it. On this episode of Buckeye Talk, Stephen Means and Andrew Gillis discuss some of those wins, plus some of the losses among the 33 undecided players who took an official visit in June. Then they look ahead to what's next for a class close to being full. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's a Mark It Down Monday on Buckeye Talk, and this one deals with Ohio State's season-opener against Akron on Sept. 1. Stephen Means, Stefan Krajisnik and Andrew Gillis mark down start for the Buckeyes on both sides of the ball in that game. It's a way for the trio to talk about the Ohio State position battles while also putting them on the spot for a prediction: Name the 11 players who will take the first snap on offense and the 11 who will take the first snap on defense. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Day 3 of Big Ten Media Days featured discussions about Ohio State's oldest and potentially newest rival. On this episode of Buckeye Talk, Stephen Means, Andrew Gillis and Jimmy Watkins discuss Michigan’s new head coach, Sherrone Moore, and the challenges he faces in replacing Jim Harbaugh. There were questions about how Moore can rebuild the Harbaugh culture without trying to replicate it while asking whether or not Moore can afford a honeymoon period. The conversation shifts to Dan Lnning and Oregon, as a program that could finally be a worthy adversary to what OSU has built. The game between Ohio State and Oregon on October 12th will set the tone for what’s to come. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Day 2 of Big Ten Media Days is headlined by Penn State, Nebraska, and USC as three teams looking o make a statement in 2024 On this episode of Buckeye Talk, Stephen Means, Stefan Krajisnik and Andrew Gillis look at the present-day versions of those programs plus what is to come. The goal: determine which of these programs presents the biggest threat to Ohio State from now on. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ohio State headlined Day 1 of Big Ten Media Days with head coach Ryan Day, Denzel Burke, Emeka Egbuka and Jack Sawyer in attendance. On this episode of Buckeye Talk, Stephen Means, Stefan Krajisnik and Andrew Gillis discuss updates in the quarterback battle and everything else Day said as OSU prepares for the 2024 season. Plus a special guest joins the pod to talk about his relationship with Day, journey as as Buckeye and the players we should be talking about more on the 2024 roster. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ryan Day is preparing for his sixth season as Ohio State football's head coach in a year where he's essentially maximized the roster with returners, transfer portal additions and a highly-rated recruiting class. As part of Big Ten Media Days, Stephen Means sat down with Day to discuss the upcoming season, the pending quarterback battle and how Day deals with the pressure and attention that comes with being OSU's head coach. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The 20204 college football season has officially arrived in the midwest with the arrival of Big Ten Media Days and with that comes a chance to do something the Big Ten won’t. On this episode of Buckeye Talk, Stephen Means, Stefan Krajisnik and Andrew Gillis reveal their ballots as three of the 27 voters in Cleveland.com’s preseason Big Ten Media Poll. The trio share where they ranked Ohio State and who they picked to win Offensive and Defensive Player of the Year. They also discuss who could win Coach of the Year and how many teams the conference will get in the first-ever 12-team College Football Playoff. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode of Buckeye Talk, Stephen Means and Stefan Krajisnik discuss the upcoming Big Ten Media Days and the pressing questions surrounding Ohio State football. They look at the most important things to learn from Ryan Day, Denzel Burke, Emeka Egbuka and Jack Sawyer as they preview the 2024 season. They also touch on the new era of Big Ten football with the conference now featuring 18 teams. Plus a conversation about what the expected minimum number of expected College Football Playoff teams the Big Ten should have annually. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This episode of Buckeye Talk is brought to you by three guys in their mid-to-late-20s who were brought back a little bit of joy in their lives. EA Sports College Football 25 has arrived once again allowing a generation of video gamers to play with their favorite college football players. Stephen Means, Stefan Krajisnik and Andrew Gillis take this opportunity to share their thoughts on the game, where the developers got things right and which Ohio State football players may not yet be featured. Plus a sort of serious conversation about the future of the business of college sports. And a completely unserious conversation about what the game means for OSU's quarterback battle. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The 2024 season is right around the corner as Ohio State enters a pivotal year of the Ryan Day era. It’s the perfect time to set a tone and discuss what Day has accomplished as head coach, using that to project what the future holds, especially in a season where OSU has clearly pushed all its chips into the middle of the table. In doing so, we at Buckeye Talk will spend the next two weeks breaking down the program position by position looking at its past, present and future under Day. Up next, Stephen Means and Andrew Gillis discuss the safeties as Matt Guerrieri tasks over the position. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The 2024 season is right around the corner as Ohio State enters a pivotal year of the Ryan Day era. It’s the perfect time to set a tone and discuss what Day has accomplished as head coach, using that to project what the future holds, especially in a season where OSU has clearly pushed all its chips into the middle of the table. In doing so, we at Buckeye Talk will spend the next two weeks breaking down the program position by position looking at its past, present and future under Day. Up next, Stephen Means and Andrew Gillis discuss Tim Walton and the cornerbacks. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The 2024 season is right around the corner as Ohio State enters a pivotal year of the Ryan Day era. It’s the perfect time to set a tone and discuss what Day has accomplished as head coach, using that to project what the future holds, especially in a season where OSU has clearly pushed all its chips into the middle of the table. In doing so, we at Buckeye Talk will spend the next two weeks breaking down the program position by position looking at its past, present and future under Day. Up next, Stephen Means and Andrew Gillis talk linebackers as former three-time All-Ameerican James Laurinaitis takes over. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The 2024 season is right around the corner as Ohio State enters a pivotal year of the Ryan Day era. It’s the perfect time to set a tone and discuss what Day has accomplished as head coach, using that to project what the future holds, especially in a season where OSU has clearly pushed all its chips into the middle of the table. In doing so, we at Buckeye Talk will spend the next two weeks breaking down the program position by position looking at its past, present and future under Day. Up next, Stephen Means and Andrew Gillis discuss the defensive line and the war Larry Johnson continues to fight. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The 2024 season is right around the corner as Ohio State enters a pivotal year of the Ryan Day era. It’s the perfect time to set a tone and discuss what Day has accomplished as head coach, using that to project what the future holds, especially in a season where OSU has clearly pushed all its chips into the middle of the table. In doing so, we at Buckeye Talk will spend the next two weeks breaking down the program position by position looking at its past, present and future under Day. Up next, Stephen Means and Andrew Gillis discuss the offensive line and the statement Justin Frye must make. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The 2024 season is right around the corner a Ohio State enters a pivotal year of the Ryan Day era. It’s the perfect time to set a tone and discuss what Day has accomplished as head coach, using that to project what the future holds, especially in a season where OSU has clearly pushed all its chips into the middle of the table. In doing so, we at Buckeye Talk will spend the next two weeks breaking down the program position by position looking at its past, present and future under Day. Up next, Stephen Means and Andrew Gillis discuss Keen Bailey and the safeties. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The 2024 season is right around the corner as Ohio State enters a pivotal year of the Ryan Day era. It’s the perfect time to set a tone and discuss what Day has accomplished as head coach, using that to project what the future holds, especially in a season where OSU has clearly pushed all its chips into the middle of the table. In doing so, we at Buckeye Talk will spend the next two weeks breaking down the program position by position looking at its past, present and future under Day. Up next, Stephen Means and Andrew Gillis talk wide receivers and Brian Hartline’s run. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The 2024 season is right around the corner as Ohio State enters a pivotal year of the Ryan Day era. It’s the perfect time to set a tone and discuss what Day has accomplished as head coach, using that to project what the future holds, especially in a season where OSU has clearly pushed all its chips into the middle of the table. In doing so, we at Buckeye Talk will spend the next two weeks breaking down the program position by position looking at its past, present and future under Day. Up next, Stephen Means and Andrew Gillis discuss running back as Carlos Locklyn takes over as the new position coach. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The 2024 season is right around the corner as Ohio State enters a pivotal year of the Ryan Day era. It's the perfect time to set a tone and discuss what Day has accomplished as head coach, using that to project what the future holds, especially in a season where OSU has clearly pushed all its chips into the middle of the table. In doing so, we at Buckeye Talk will spend the next two weeks breaking down the program position by position looking at its past, present and future under Day. Up first, Stephen Means and Andrew Gillis discuss quarterbacks and how a change in standard dictates how we talk about the group. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A new era of Buckeye Talk has officially arrived. Stephen Means is joined by the newest member of the show Stefan Krajisnik as they share their excitement and discuss his background in covering college sports. Then the conversation shifts to the SEC and how teams view Ohio State as a prominent program in the North, the new 12-team College Football Playoff and other various topics related to Ohio State football. Get to know Stefan as the Buckeye Talk crew prepares for a new era of college football with a new era of your favorite podcast. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Commitment season is upon us and Ohio State seems to be taking full advantage of it having watched its 2025 recruiting class grow significantly and it might not be done. On this episode of Buckeye Talk, Stephen Means and Andrew Gillis discuss at OSU’s latest successes. Among includes more success in Alabama thanks to Nick Saban’s retirement, a few cool in-state recruiting stories of perseverance and a look at who could be next up to join the top-ranked class. Plus a discussion of whether Ohio State is trending in the wrong direction in search of a third running back commit. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It’s Week 3 of official visit season for Ohio State, meaning another group of important 2025 targets will be on campus. This first weekend features 11 players with five-star recruits Devin Sanchez, Na'eem Offord and Tavien St. Clair plus four-star Nate Roberts headlining as the commits. On this episode of Buckeye Talk, Stephen Means and Andrew Gillis discuss them all. The two discuss the importance of the visits, what they could potentially bring to the class and how many of the seven undecided they would need to land to make this a successful second weekend eventually. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Five months after taking a first shot at predicting Ohio State's 2025 recruiting class, Stephen Means and Andrew Gillis are here to update it. A lot has changed since that first prediction in February with new options emerging while others may be fading into the background. We're six months away from Signing Day and it seems the OSU is on pace to sign its largest class of the Ryan Day era to replenish a roster expected to see a significant number of players leave after the 2024 season. On this episode, Stephen and Andrew look at where Andrew was right and wrong the first time, then look forward to his 2025 class prediction 2.0. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ryan Day teased at the idea of Caleb Downs potentially playing some running back for Ohio State in 2024 and so of course we had to talk about it. On this episode of Buckeye Talk, Stephen Means and Andrew Gillis explore whether Downs' offensive usage is a realistic thing to expect or just a good idea in the middle of the summer. One person decides to have some fun with it. The other chooses the boring route. Plus, views from OSU's second 7-on-7 camp featuring a few important 2025 recruiting targes with looming decisions. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode of Buckeye Talk, Stephen Means and Andrew Gillis discuss the most interesting things observed and heard at Ohio State's final June recruiting camp. The two discuss four-star running back Bo Jackson choosing to come work with Carlos Locklyn a week after joining the 2025 recruiting class. Then discuss the potential of five-star wide receiver Chris Henry as the top player in the 2026 class. Plus a conversation about where OSU turns for a 20206 quarterback to following five-star Dia Bell's Texas commitment. But first, they analyze the latest 2025 commitments in four-star wide receiver Quincy Porter and three-star running back Isaiah West. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ohio State has quite a history with the prestigious Elite 11 quarterback competition and will try to add to that this week. There have been 11 players who've gone on to be Buckeyes who had the opportunity to succeed in the competition by earning the honor. Five-star 2025 commit Tavien St. Clair will look to join them. On this episode of Buckeye Talk, Stephen Means and Andrew Gillis look back on OSU's Elite 11 success, what St. Clair can accomplish and his chances of wining MVP Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It’s Week 3 of official visit season for Ohio State meaning another group of important 2025 targets will be on campus. This first weekend features 11 players with four-star recruits Carter Lowe and London Merritt headlining as the lone commits. On this episode of Buckeye Talk, Stephen Means and Andrew Gillis discuss them all. The two discuss the importance of the visits, what they could potentially bring to the class and how many of the seven undecided they would need to land to make this a successful second weekend eventually. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode of Buckeye Talk, Stephen Means and Andrew Gillis discuss the most interesting things observed and heard at Ohio State's third June recruiting camp. The two discuss OSU five-star quarterback commit Tavien St. Clair showing up for the second time this summer and what he had to say about his development. Then they talk about two 2026 quarterbacks who camped Tuesday as Ohio State shifts its focus to that class. Plus a few other noteworthy players in attendance. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode of Buckeye Talk, Stephen Means and Andrew Gillis discuss the most interesting things observed and heard at Ohio State's second June recruiting camp. The two discuss OSU's two 2025 commits in five-star quarterback Tavien St. Clair and four-star tight end Nate Robert. But after they discuss a four-star recruit in the 2026 class who used an impressive day to not only earn an offer but perhaps market he beginning of a potential great story. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It’s Week 2 of official visit season for Ohio State meaning another group of important 2025 targets will be on campus. This first weekend features 10 players with four-star recruits De and DeShawn Stewart headlining as the lone commits. On this episode of Buckeye Talk, Stephen Means and Andrew Gillis discuss them all. The two discuss the importance of the visits, what they could potentially bring to the class and how many of the seven undecided they would need to land to make this a successful second weekend eventually. But first a conversation about 2026 five-star defensive lineman Jahkeim Stewart who was at OSU’s second June camp and how realistic they think it is for him to one day end up in Columbus. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode of Buckeye Talk, Stephen Means and Andrew Gillis discuss the most interesting things observed and heard at Ohio State's first June recruiting camp. They look at which recruits may have earned an offer after ann impressive first day which ranges from rising senior offensive in the 2025 class to speedy wide receivers in the 2027 class going into their second year of high school. They even discuss the lone five-star who was in town and could be the answer to its safety drought on the recruiting trail. But first, a conversation about the newest member of OSU’s 2025 recruiting class, four-star running back Bo Jackson. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This Friday episode of Buckeye Talk is brought to you solely on behalf of the texter community delivering questions. Among the Ohio State topics discussed by Stephen Means and Andrew Gillis: Can an elite defense impact a team's offensive aggressiveness? Changing the recruiting calendar Ryan Day's son as a quarterback prospect Which walk-ons would you give a scholarship to in 2024? Renovating the Woody Hayes Athletic Center Should OSU run up the score more? Michigan's potential backslide. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The conversation revolves around the upcoming camp week for Ohio State, focusing on the recruitment process and the evaluation of high school athletes. Stephen Means and Andrew Gillis discuss the value of this period for building relationships, identifying new talent, and making offers to potential recruits. The conversation covers a range of topics related to Ohio State football, including early offers to young players, the upcoming camp season, and the vision for recruiting and player development. It also delves into specific players and their potential impact on the team. The discussion provides insights into the coaching staff, the recruitment process, and the ongoing evaluation of talent. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

There is a ton of new in the Big Ten as the conference heads into a new era. It's gotten rid of divisions opening up the possibilities for the conference championships game. It's also expanded its team total to 18. That expansion mixed with a few highly-rated freshmen, big-time transfers and some coaching hires has brought a ton of new faces to the conference as well. On this episode of Buckeye Talk, Stephen Means and Andrew Gillis take a look at some of the most impactful newcomers to the Big Ten which includes a few people inside the Ohio State football program. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It’s officially official visit season and Ohio State is set to host its first group of 2025 targets. This first weekend features 10 players with four-star recruits TJ Alford and DeShawn Stewart headlining as the lone commits. On this episode of Buckeye Talk, Stephen Means and Andrew Gillis discuss them all. The two discuss the importance of the visit, what they could potentially bring to the class and how many of the eight undecided they would need to land to make this a successful first weekend eventually. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode of Buckeye Talk, Stephen Means and Andrew Gillis discuss Ohio State's transfer portal activity, focusing on the players brought in, their impact on the team, and the decision-making process behind the transfers. It also delves into evaluating the offensive line and the significance of not adding more transfers. The discussion provides insights into the team's strategy, player development, and overall confidence in the offensive line for the upcoming season. The conversation covers an in-depth analysis of Ohio State's offensive line and its performance against top teams. It also delves into the impact of the transfer portal on Ohio State's roster, including the addition of key players and the overall grade for the transfer portal activity Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this latest episode of Buckeye Talk, Stephen Means and Andrew Gillis catch up on what’s been happening on the recruiting trail for Ohio State. It’s been about three weeks since the last deep dive into the 2025 class which ranks second nationally. Since then, the Buckeyes suffered a third commitment and a second from a cornerback. It’s also seen another highly-rated wide receiver target reopen his recruitment just as he's set to take his official visit to Columbus. Stephen and Andrew discuss at all the latest recruiting news and it impacts OSU heading into the summer as it hopes to continue putting together yet another elite class. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This Tuesday episode of Buckeye Talk is a bittersweet one as we take a break from discussing Ohio State football. After five years, Nathan Baird is leaving us to head back to Indiana to cover Purdue. So he and Stephen Means spend the next hour reflecting on the past five seasons covering the early stages of the Ryan Day era. They look at the high moments, the low moments and take questions from the Subtext subscribers. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Game has fundamentally changed forever. No longer does the Ohio State-Michigan game hold so much weight regarding either team's football future. But that doesn't change the fact that it's still the biggest rivalry in sports. But does it change how fans will view the consequences of any potential loss? On this episode of Buckeye Talk, Stephen Means, Nathan Baird and Andrew Gillis explore that idea alongside the Subtext subscribers. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode of Buckeye Talk, Stephen Means, Nathan Baird, Andrew Gillis and Jimmy Watkins continue with Day 4 of May-chigan week. The quartet used this episode to rank the 20 best players taking part on the 2024 Ohio State-Michigan game. As they make their way through the list, they discuss the lopsided reality of how many Buckeyes are on the list in comparison to Wolverines and what that could mean come the final week of the season. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ohio State and Michigan take very different approaches to putting together a college football roster. Stars matter to one program as it's constantly sitting near the top of the recruiting rankings. The other relies on the diamonds in the rough often overlooked in those same rankings. On paper, it's clear which approach should result in a national title, but it's the other approach that's gotten the job done not only in The Game the last three years but on the national stage in 2023. On this episode of Buckeye Talk, Stephen Means and Andrew Gillis explore why by looking a the contrasting styles, then discuss where they might collide in the future Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Last season Michigan put together an uber-experienced roster hoping to maximize its championship window and now Ohio State is doing the same hoping for a similar result. On this episode of Buckeye Talk, Stephen Means, Nathan Baird, Andrew Gillis and Jimmy Watkins take a look at the Wolverines' 2023 roster and decide whether OSU's 2024 roster could beat the team that beat it 30-24 last season in this hypothetical conversation. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It is officially ‘May-chigan Week’ as we are six months away from the 2024 Ohio State-Michigan game which heads into a new era. The College Football Playoff has expanded forever changing the stakes of The Game in terms of the consequences for winning and losing. But the cultural impact remains as the Wolverines enter Year 1 under Sherrone Moore and OSU enters Year 6 under Ryan Day. On this episode of BUckeye Talk, Stephen Means, Nathan Baird and rivalry reporter Jimmy Watkins explore how these two teams reached what might be the most pivotal game for both sides in quite some time. Most importantly, the trio answers the most important questions this far away from the Nov. 30 game, which team would a win in 2024 mean more to? Thanks for listening to Buckeye talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ryan Day’s introduction to the Ohio State-Michigan rivalry as a head coach resulted in success in such a way that he even publicly admitted gave him a feeling of relief. Back in 2019, OSU got a 56-27 win in Ann Arbor that suggested its dominance in the rivalry would continue into the Day era while Jim Harbaugh was the coach who couldn't get over the hump. Now here we are five years later and oh, how things have changed. On this episode of Buckeye Talks Stephen Means and Nathan Baird look back at the game discussing a different time in the OSU-Michigan dynamic. As they run through their typical ReTalkable category, they also take a chance to use this game as a potential guideline for how the 2024 game could potentially play out as Day looks to get back in the win column. Plus, Nathan has an announcement about his future. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This Thursday episode of Buckeye Talk is brought to you solely on behalf of the texter community delivering questions. Among the Ohio State topics discussed by Stephen Means, Nathan Baird and Andrew Gillis: Could OSU have two 1,000-yard running backs in 2024? How long will Chip Kelly be at Ohio State? Which non-staters could have a big impact in 2024? Could Ryan Day realistically be in Columbus for another decade? Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode of Buckeye Talk, Stephen Means, Nathan Baird and Andrew Gillis discuss adding former players to Ohio State football's 2024 roster. The trio analyzes the potential impact of these additions and discusses the current roster's strengths and weaknesses. Then they select players who once played for Ryan Day's OSU program who could instantly fill a potential hole on the 2024 team. Each selects three players the first two picks both being quarterbacks. But which former Day quarterback is the better fit for what this year's offensive makeup is? Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of Buckeye Talk, Stephen Means, Nathan Baird and Andrew Gillis discuss the most dangerous opponents on Ohio State's path to winning a national title in 2024. They rank the potential threats, including coaches, players, and teams. They identify several coaches and players from opposing teams who could pose a challenge to the Buckeyes. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ohio State has signed five recruiting classes since Ryan Day took over the program each having things to be excited about. But what should we think of them years later now that players have gotten on the field? On this episode of Buckeye Talk, Stephen Means and Nathan Baird break down Day's recruiting classes trying to figure out if the way we viewed them on Signing Day held up years later. Which classes lived up to the hype? Did any overachieve? And what it says about Day's program. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As Gene Smith enters his final days as Ohio State's athletic director, Stephen Means and Nathan Baird decided to sit down with him for an hour-long conversation. On this episode of Buckeye Talk, the two recap the enlightening conversation. They cover everything from Smith's background, his decisions as athletic director and how he's setting up OSU's athletic department for the future. Plus a look at how Smith views Ryan Day's first five years as the Buckeyes' head coach and why they went 'all-in' on the 2024 season. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of Buckeye Talk, the hosts discuss Ohio State football records and potential records that could be broken in the 2024 season. OSU has already broken its fair share of both individual and team records since Ryan Day took over the program in 2019 and a few more may be on the table this season. After looking back at some of those records, Stephen Means, Nathan Baird and Andrew Gillis look ahead to what could be the longest season in school history and predict a few that could potentially fall. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Oho State got a surprise visit from David Sanders Jr. over the weekend as it continues to quickly build momentum for the five-star offensive lineman. Landing the nation’s No. 2 player and top tackle would not only be a major win for OSU’s 2025 recruiting class but would also be the type of recruiting win it’s long hoped to get from offensive line coach Justin Frye ever since he was hired in 2022. Its impact would sit among some of the other high-level wins during the Ryan Day era, at least at first glance. On this episode of Bucikeye talk, Stephen Means and Andrew Gillis look at what the most impactful wins of the Day era — 2019-present — have been. then they decide whether a potential win in the Sanders recruitment — which has gone from longshot to real possibility — could join that list someday. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It’s the five most valuable Ohio State Buckeyes for the 2024 football season on this Thursday Buckeye Talk. They run through the top five, which includes both coaches and players and hits both offense and defense. They covered the Buckeyes ranked 10 through six on Monday. Players and coaches are combined in this ranking, and it’s not a best-of list. It’s value. It’s importance. Stephen, Nathan, Andrew and the Ohio State text subscribers each ranked their top 20 Buckeyes, and the lists were then combined to rank this top 10. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Monday Buckeye Talk, Stephen Means, Nathan Baird and Andrew Gillis begin to unveil their rankings of the 10 most valuable Buckeyes to Ohio State football's 2024 season. This podcast covers the players who just missed the top 10, plus Nos. 10 through six. The top five will be discussed on Tuesday. Players and coaches are combined in this ranking, and it’s not a best-of list. It’s value. It’s importance. Stephen, Nathan, Andrew and the Ohio State text subscribers each ranked their top 20 Buckeyes, and the lists were then combined to rank this top 10. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The second transfer portal window wasn't quite as explosive for Ohio State football as the first as it only lost seven players none being players considered to win a starting role this season. On this episode of Buckeye Talk, Stephen Means, Nathan Baird and Andrew Gillis break down OSU's roster retention heading into the summer and whether there is any impact to the few losses. Then the trio has a conversation about the Buckeyes holding on to all four scholarship quarterbacks and what that says about the mentality of the room and the type of recruit who'd signed up to be part of something like that. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode of Buckeye Talk, Stephen Means and Andrew Gillis discuss the latest developments in Ohio State football recruiting. Andrew spent his Sunday up in Canton, Ohio, attending the Under Armour Camp Series where he spoke with OSU commit Eli Lee along with targets Justin Hill, Bo Jackson, Talyn Taylor and Marquise Davis. The Buckeyes seemed to be still in the running for each of these players and potentially sitting in the lead. But has the door already shut on one thanks to the departure of an assistant coach? Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The 2024 NFL Draft is now in the review mirror as we focus on a 2025 class sure to be filled with Ohio State football players following a year where only four were drafted. The Buckeyes had only one first-round pick this spring, but could they be on the verge of not only setting a program record, but the national record in 2025? On this episode of Buckeye Talk, Stephen Means, Nathan Baird and Andrew Gillis explore the 2025 NFL Draft and project the number of first-round picks OSU could have. They also compare the program's NFL Draft development to when Jim Tressel and Urban Meyer were in charge to see whether Ryan Day is already ahead of the curve. Plus, predicting when Ohio State will surpass 100 first-round draft picks. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The 2024 NFL Draft is over, and on this Buckeye Talk episode, Stephen Means and Nathan Baird wrap up the final picks for Ohio State. OSU just experienced its smallest draft number in over a decade, but could it come with a silver lining? Following a year where only four players heard their name called — of the nine hoping to — the program could be gearing up for fireworks in 2025 with one more thing to check off over the next year. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For the third straight year, Ohio State football has produced a first-round NFL Draft pick. Garrett Wilson and Chris Olave started the trend in 2022 followed by Jaxon Smith-Njigba in 2023. Now Marvin Harrion Jr. has joined them going higher than an OSU wide receiver has ever gone as the No. 4 pick to the Arizona Cardinals. Harrison will join Paris Johnson Jr. as Buckeyes-turned-Cardinals first-round picks giving Kyler Murray a true No. 1 wide receiver. He also serves as a historic accomplishment for Brian Hartline’s wide receiver room. A room that might not even be close to being done putting out first-rounders. On this episode of Buckeye Talk, Stephen Means and Nathan Baird break down what Harrison being drafted means for the program, what Arizona is getting and what could be coming down the line. Plus a reaction to the final time J.J. McCarthy could show Ryan Day up for picking Kyle McCord over him as Ohio State’s future quarterback. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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The NFL Draft kicks off on Thursday night and we're getting you ready with a full first round mock draft. For the third year in a row, the Orange and Brown Talk and Buckeye Talk crews got together and made every pick in the first round. Nathan Baird, Tim Bielik, Andrew Gillis, Dan Labbe, Stephen Means and Jimmy Watkins were all assigned teams and they worked their way through the first 32 picks, making trades and filling needs along the way. While the first pick was a no-brainer, things got interesting after that and included discussions on Justin Fields in Pittsburgh and which Buckeyes player could be the first to go in their class next year. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ohio State football's 2025 recruiting class is currently the number one class in the country with 13 commits, including three five-star recruits as it’s gotten off to a hot start. But the question is whether it’s on track to reach heights that the Buckeyes have only reached one other time by making history. On this episode of Buckeye Talk, Stephen Means and Andrew Gillis map out what would need to happen for the 2025 class to match the success of the 2021 class. That class featured 24 players, with seven being five-stars and seven others being top 100 recruits as the nation’s No. 2 class behind Alabama. But first, a conversation about OSU’s latest representation at the prestigious Elite 11 quarterback competition. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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The 2024 NF Draft is just days away with Ohio State expecting to again be well-represented potentially on all three days, but how good has it been at ensuring that happens annually? On this episode of Buckeye Talk, Stephen Means, Nathan Baird and Andrew Gillis discuss the program's ability to develop draft picks since Ryan Day took over as head coach. They evaluate the position groups and assign them star ratings based on their success in producing draft picks. The rankings were based on the number of draft picks and the overall success of those picks. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This Friday episode of Buckeye Talk is brought to you solely on behalf of the texter community delivering questions. Among the Ohio State topics discussed by Stephen Means, Nathan Baird and Andrew Gillis: Has NIL impacted the way freshmen athletes interact with the media and build their personal brands? Real life doppelgängers. Which football players could make the basketball team? Comparing Jeremiah Smith to other versions of great OSU wide receivers. What the summer months look like for the current roster Could a dominant defense hold the offense back? How good would Ohio State be if it had to start its second-string defense all season? Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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This Wednesday episode of Buckeye Talk is brought to you solely on behalf of the texter community delivering questions. Among the topics discussed by Stephen Means, Nathan Baird and Andrew Gillis: The impact of Ohio State's first two losses to the post-spring transfer portal window. Players and people within the OSU athletic department they’d love to interview knowing they’d get 100% honesty. Which position group would they buy stock in? What are their favorite sports teams and how they became passionate about them? Is the defensive line’s success more about its upside or problems with the offensive line? Who would they start at quarterback if it were up to them? Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ohio State's 2025 recruiting class is off to a strong start, and its class added two more members over the weekend. On this episode of Buckeye Talk, Stephen Means and Andrew Gillis break down OSU’s latest commitments and what they bring to the program. Then the two look ahead for a class featuring 13 commits and sitting in the top spot in the recruiting rankings. While Ohio State has started great, it's far from finished putting together its 2025 class. As it heads into the next few months where recruiting in the only priority, the two look at what are the most important needs still left on the board. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This Monday episode of Buckeye Talk features a rewatch of Ohio State's 2024 spring game. Stephen Means and Nathan Baird look back at the performances of quarterbacks Will Howard, Devin Brown, Lincoln Kienholz, Julian Sayin and Air Noland looking at how they played and what comes next. Plus a transfer portal conversation on how many quarterbacks they think will still be on the roster in the fall. Then a conversation about the bevy of options Jim Knowles and the defense previewed and whether they think OSU needs to find another offensive lineman in the transfer portal Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ohio State wrapped up Phase One of its quest for a national title with the spring game providing a first public look at its 2024 roster. On this episode of Buckeye Talk, Stephen Means, Nathan Baird and Andrew Gillis break down where OSU stands following the spring and what they saw in the game. They start with a discussion on the quarterback battle between Will Howard and Devin Brown and which player is in the lead heading into the summer. Then they look at the other three quarterbacks involved. After the break, they discuss the offensive line as the only significant question mark on offense heading into the summer. Then they wrap things up with a glowing review of the defense led by a secondary who spent the afternoon getting the better of the wide receivers. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ohio State will wrap up its spring practice schedule on Saturday with the 2024 Spring Game providing fans the first chance to see its roster. On this episode of Buckeye Talk, Stephen Means takes rants from the Subtext subscribers on everything they want to see from the Buckeyes on Saturday. That list includes everything from what the quarterbacks look like, the development of the offensive line freshman Jeremiah Smith and even a few thoughts on what OSU can do to add to the game's environment. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Is a third player beginning to emerge as a candidate to win Ohio State football's starting quarterback job? Ryan Day spoke highly of Julian Sayin as the five-star has turned heads since he arrived as a transfer from Alabama. So on this episode of Buckeye Talk, Stephen Means asks Nathan Baird and Andrew Gillis to follow him into his hypothetical world and map out what it would look like for him to beat out Will Howard and Devin Brown to win the job. But first, the three give their initial impressions on new running backs coach Carlos Locklyn along with a discussion about the potential post0spring attrition OSU could see in the transfer portal. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Everyone is healthy and ready to play Saturday in Ohio Stadium in this version of an Ohio State spring game draft from Buckeye Talk. There are two full 22-player teams to be drafted, and Nathan Baird and Andrew Gillis go head-to-head with their selections while Stephen Means moderates. With so many options on both sides of the ball, we’re splitting things up and doing just the starting 11 on defense. This should tell you something about the 2024 Buckeyes with spring football winding down, it should help get you ready for Saturday, plus drafts are always fun. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Everyone is healthy and ready to play Saturday in Ohio Stadium in this version of an Ohio State spring game draft from Buckeye Talk. There are two full 22-player teams to be drafted, and Nathan Baird and Andrew Gillis go head-to-head with their selections while Stephen Means moderates. With so many options on both sides of the ball, we’re splitting things up and doing just the starting 11 on offense. This should tell you something about the 2024 Buckeyes with spring football winding down, it should help get you ready for Saturday, plus drafts are always fun. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ohio State's gearing up for its 2024 Spring Game, and there are several important players visiting campus. On this episode of Buckeye Talk, Stephen Means and Andrew Gillis take a look at the visitor list for the final practice of the spring session. The two discuss who Andrew thinks are the most important or most interesting people expected to. be in Columbus and why. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode of Buckeye Talk, Stephen Means, Nathan Baird and Andrew Gillis discuss Ohio State football's linebackers, safeties and running backs. They discuss the possibility of rotating four or five linebackers during the season and the challenges of finding the right combination of players. They also talk about the transition of Caleb Downs to Ohio State and his commitment to staying with the team. The conversation highlights the importance of building depth at safety and mentions several players who could contribute to that position. Plus what the running backs think of new coach Carlos Locklynn on his first day and offensive lineman Joshua Simmons going through his first full offseason at OSU. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk, Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ohio State football's 2025 recruiting class is off to a strong start, with 11 commits, including seven top 100 players. On this episode of Buckeye Talk, Stephen Means and Andrew Gillis discuss the latest commitments in four-star defensive lineman Lononn Merrit, four-star linebacker TJ Alford, four-star wide receiver De’zie Jones and four-star safety DeShawn Stewart. They also discuss recent three-star safety Cody Haddad’s decommitment from Wisconsin and what that could mean for OSU. The conversation concludes with a discussion on the significance of early commitments and the importance of landing big recruits to maintain a strong recruiting class. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ohio State has finally found a replacement for Tony Alford following his departure for Michigan with Carlos Locklyn taking over as the new running backs coach. On this episode of Buckeye Talk, Stephen Means, Nathan Biard and Andrew Gillis explore Locklynn’s background and coaching career, as well as the potential impact he could have on the team. They also delve into the challenges of recruiting running backs in the 2025 class and the importance of maintaining a strong running back room. Additionally, they analyze the projected starting offensive line Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ohio State invited its student body to get a sneak preview of its 2024 football team for spring practice No. 6 and Buckeye Talk is here to tell you what happened. Stephen Means, Natha Baird and Andrew Gillis analyze the hierarchy of the quarterbacks, with Devin Brown and Will Howard emerging as the top two contenders. They also discuss the performance of freshman quarterback Julian Sayin and his potential impact in the future. Then they shift their attention to the offensive line, noting that while the defensive line had a strong performance, there were signs of improvement compared to last year. They discuss the potential starting lineup and the importance of cohesion among the offensive linemen. The episode concludes with a hyperbolic conversation about five-star freshman wide receiver Jeremiah Smith before wrapping things up with Stephen’s theory on what the offensive philosophy could be this fall. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ohio State lost its best tight end and one of its top defensive tackles to the NFL Draft. The Buckeyes have candidates to replace both, though this spring will answer a lot of questions. Nathan and Andrew discuss what they heard from tight ends, defensive tackles and defensive ends after Ohio State's seventh practice of the spring. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode of Buckeye Talk, Stephen Means and Andrew Gillis discuss Ohio State football's 2025 recruiting class. They start by discussing the implications of losing four-star wide receiver Jayvan Boggs and who the other potential targets are. Then they discuss where OSU pivots to next after losing out on its top 2026 quarterback target Jared Curtis who committed to Georgia over the weekend. Then they wrap things up by previewing the decision of four-star linebacker TJ Alford and the Buckeyes’ chances of landing him. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode of Buckeye Talk, Stephen Means, Nathan Baird and Andrew discuss the Ohio State football tight and defensive line positions. They highlight the different vibes from the defensive line coach and the tight ends coach when discussing their position groups. While one group seems to be confident about its options heading into a 2024 season where OSU could play as many 17 games, the other is still trying to figure out to replace the production of a two-year starter, who's off to the NFL. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode of Buckeye Talk, Stephen Means and Nathan Baird discuss the wide receiver room at Ohio State. They compare the current group to the 2022 wide receiver room and highlight the confidence Brian Hartline has in the young players. They also discuss the importance of culture and mental toughness in the wide receiver room. The conversation touches on Bryson Rogers’ decision to return to Ohio State and the potential breakout seasons of Brandon Innis and Carnell Tate. They also discuss the impact of Chip Kelly’s presence on Brian Hartline and his development as a coach. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode of Buckeye Talk, Stephen Means and Nathan Baird discuss the back seven of Ohio State's defense. The discussion highlights the cross-training and position flexibility of players like Sonny Styles and CJ Hicks. The depth and competition in the linebacker room are explored, as well as the handling of expectations and the development of CJ Hicks. The conversation also delves into the competition between cornerbacks and wide receivers, and the impact of Jim Knowles’ defensive scheme and the talent at Ohio State. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ohio State's 2024 Pro Day for the NFL Draft featured a smaller list of participants than most would've expected a year ago, with Marvin Harrison Jr. choosing not to participate in the draft process. On this episode of Buckeye Talk, Stephen Means, Nathan Baird and Andrew Gillis discuss Harrison's approach and speculate on his potential draft position. They also analyze the quarterbacks' performance at Pro Day even if Will Howard and Devin Brown weren't the players being evaluated by NFL scouts. Plus a conversation about OSU's star defensive ends and which one could end up going higher in the 2025 NFL Draft. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode of Buckeye Talk, Stephen Means, Nathan Baird, and Andrew Gillis discuss Ryan Day’s first interview since Tony Alford’s departure as Ohio State’s running backs coach. They analyze Day’s demeanor and approach to the situation, emphasizing the need to move forward and focus on finding a replacement. The conversation also delves into the importance of recruiting and player development for the running back position. The hosts speculate on the timeline for hiring a new coach and discuss potential candidates. They also provide updates on the offensive line battle and the depth at the tight end position. The episode concludes with a discussion on Day’s special teams discussion with a former Ohio State coach. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jake Diebler was hired as the Ohio State basketball team’s head coach after closing out the season in an interim role On this episode of Buckeye Talk, Stephen Means and Nathan Baird discuss incoming athletic director Ross Bjork’s decision to hire Diebeler and how it impacts the program’s future. They also discuss whether Bjork’s decision was the best possible choice and if the way he came to this decision tells us anything about how he would handle having to one day hire a new football coach. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode of Buckeye Talk, Stephen Means, Nathan Baird and Andrew Gillis discuss adding players to the Ohio State football's roster. The trio analyzes the potential impact of these additions and discusses the current roster's strengths and weaknesses. They each select one player from outside the roster to add to the team on both offense and defense. The offensive selections include an offensive lineman, a tight end, and a quarterback. While the defensive sections include two defensive linemen and a linebacker. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Ohio State basketball team is in the middle of turning around its season after firing Chris Holtmann with interim coach Jake Diebler leading the way. That means it's time for a rants pod here on Buckeye Talk. On this episode, Stephen Means takes some thoughts from Subtext subscribers to talk about the most pressing issues around OSU's hoops team. He also takes a look at what it might take for a team that's suddenly built momentum to sneak its way into the NCAA Tournament. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Michigan's hiring of Tony Alford as their run game coordinator and running back coach has caused a stir in the Ohio State football realm. Alford's departure from Ohio State after nine years was unexpected, especially during spring practice. While it is not unprecedented for coaches to leave for rival teams, the timing and the personal impact on the players make it significant. The departure raises questions about the future of Ohio State's running back room and the need for a replacement. Ryan Day has options for finding a new running back coach, and the decision-making process will be crucial. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode of Buckeye Talk, Stephen Means and Andrew discuss the most important states for Ohio State in terms of recruiting. They start by talking about the changing landscape of college football and the criteria they used to create the list. They then count down the top five states. They discuss the impact of the expanding playoff and the national nature of college football on recruiting strategies. Finally, they touch on the potential impact of West Coast schools entering the Big Ten. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The conversation focuses on the quarterback situations in the Big Ten, particularly at Ohio State, Oregon, Penn State, and USC. It is noted that many teams in the conference have new starting quarterbacks, and the discussion revolves around the potential impact of these quarterbacks on their respective teams. The conversation also touches on the importance of quarterback play in relation to the overall talent on the roster and the strength of the defense. Overall, the discussion highlights the uncertainty and potential for change in the quarterback landscape in the Big Ten. The conversation focuses on evaluating the quarterbacks in the Big Ten conference and the uncertainty surrounding some teams. The discussion covers the performances and potential of quarterbacks like Drew Allar at Penn State, Dylan Raiola at Nebraska, and the quarterback situation at Michigan. The conversation also explores the changing landscape of college football and the potential impact on quarterback recruiting in the Big Ten. Overall, the middle class of quarterbacks in the conference has improved, narrowing the gap between Ohio State and the rest of the teams. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, the hosts discuss updates on various Ohio State football players, including Lathan Ransom's injury and recovery. They also delve into the relationship between the cornerback and wide receiver rooms, highlighting the competitiveness and growth of the cornerback group. The conversation then shifts to comparing the two position groups and the strength of the cornerback room. The hosts also discuss the development of freshman starters and the expectations surrounding Jeremiah Smith. The conversation revolves around setting expectations for Jeremiah Smith, building depth at defensive tackle, and the mindset of the Ohio State defense. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode of Buckeye Talk, Stephen Means, Nathan Baird and Andrew Gillis discuss Ohio State's spring practice and the performance of the quarterbacks. They also highlight the impact of new defensive coordinator Jim Knowles and his innovative ideas for the defense. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode of Buckeye Talk, Stephen Means, Nathan Baird and Andrew Gillis answer questions from Subtext subscribers on Ohio State football. Among the things discussed: Could Sonny Styles and CJ Hicks be on the field as linebackers at the same time? What’s more when putting together a defeensive game plan: matchups or having tour best 11 on the field? Who are Ohio State’s potential team captains for the 2024 season? Which newcomer will lose his black stripe first? If Will Howard has the type of season Bo Nix had for Oregon this past season, will Ohio State win the national championship? Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ohio State's first day of spring practice focused on the quarterback situation and the defensive changes. Devin Brown showed promise, but Will Howard is expected to be the starting quarterback. Sonny Styles made a position change to linebacker, which seems permanent. The offensive line configuration featured Luke Montgomery at guard, emphasizing athleticism. Chip Kelly's role as quarterbacks coach and his relationship with Ryan Day were discussed. The importance of competitive periods and performance in spring practice was highlighted. The conversation covers various topics related to the Ohio State football team, including the offensive line and run game, the wide receiver position, the physical readiness of young players, and the importance of the quarterback position. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Spring football has begun at Ohio State, and the focus is on the quarterback situation. On this episode of Buckeye Talk, Stephen Means, Nathan Baird and Andrew Gillis preview the start of spring practice based on conversations with OSU's top three quarterbacks and three returning offensive starters. Among the things discussed: The quarterback competition at Ohio State is heating up, with Devin Brown, Lincoln Kienholz and Will Howard all vying for the starting position. Brown is determined to prove himself and is not backing down from the competition, while Keenholz is focused on his long-term development. Howard, a transfer from Kansas State, is expected to be the starting quarterback, but Brown is looking to make it an interesting competition. There is a shift in the dynamics of the quarterback room, with Ryan Day stepping back and Chip Kelly taking on a more prominent role. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This episode of Buckeye Talk is once again split up into two parts, bringing together both Ohio State football's recent history and its present. Things start off with Stephen Means and Nathan Baird talking about the second day of interviews at the NFL Combine featuring Cade Stover and Josh Proctor. Each player had interesting careers, taking the long route to the pros. Stover began his career as a linebacker, moved to defensive end then flirted with linebacker one more time before settling in as a tight end where he became the most productive player at the position potentially ever. Proctor arrived with all the potential in the world in 2018 but various situations turned what could’ve been a three-and-done career into one lasting six years for the safety. Then Andrew Gillis subs in for Nathan as he and Stephen discuss the six most important position battles of the spring. Some of those are quite Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This episode of Buckeye Talk is split up into two parts bringing together both Ohio State football's recent history and its future. Things start off with Stephen Means and Nathan Baird talking about the first day of interviews at the NFL Combine discussing what Steele Chambers, Tommy Eichenberg and Michael Hall Jr. had to say. Each looks back at their time as Buckeyes with Hall revealing why it was a no-brainer for him to join Marvin Harrison Jr. as the only third-year players not to return in 2024. Chambers and Eichenberg discuss the future of the OSU linebacker room led by James Laurinaitis. Then Andrew Gillis subs in for Nathan and he and Stephen take their first crack at projecting OSU's 2025 recruiting class leading to an interesting discussion. This first of three projections over the next nine months features one of the highest-rated classes of the Ryan Day era but comes with a few surprises. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode of Buckeye Talk, Stephen Means and Andrew Gillis discuss the latest updates in Ohio State recruiting focusing on its efforts in the Maryland and Washington DC area. The conversation centers around five-star safety Faheem Delane whom Andrew went to see last week to get an update on his status. They discuss how the recent coaching changes may have impacted his recruitment and what a potential timeline for a decision looks like.  The two also discuss four-star cornerback commit Blake Woodby plus a few other potential targets in the region. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode of Buckeye Talk, Stephen Means, Nathan Baird and Andrew Gillis discuss Ohio State’s eight players invited to the NFL Combine. Among the things talked about Marvin Harrison Jr.’s decision not to participate in drills in Indianapolis and how that impacts — or doesn’t impact — his draft status. Who are the most interesting Buckeys other than Harrison this week? Which Ohio State player can turn some heads in Indianapolis? Michigan got 18 invites to the combine this year. Can OSU surpass that in 2025? Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode of Buckeye Talk, Stephen Means, Nathan Baird and Andrew Gillis rank Ohio State football's top 15 players based on their ability to do their job. This isn't a discussion about talent, upside or any of the other typical ways to figure out who the Buckeyes' best players are. This is simply about what the tape tells us. In doing so it reveals a stark detail about this team heading into 2024 and a conclusion of what needs to happen for OSU to compete for a national title. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

 On this episode of Buckeye Talk, Stephen Means, Nathan Baird and Andrew Gillis answer questions from the Subtext subscribers. Among the questions discussed: Could Sonny Styles be a positionless player for Ohio State's 2024 defense? Who can make the most of the NFL Combine? How many points will the Buckeyes give up in the first four weeks of the season? What we need to see from OSU’s offense this spring. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Thursday episode of BUckeye Talk, Stephen Means, Nathan Baird and Andrew Gillis look ahead to the start of Ohio State spring football practice. To do that, they are drafting the nine Buckeyes that intrigue them the most for spring, from early-enrolled freshmen, to veterans battling for jobs, to players who might be ready to take a step toward stardom. There will be a lot of OSU coverage from the NFL Combine next week, but spring practice will start before you know it. So let’s get ready now. Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this conversation, Andrew Gillis and Stephen Means discuss the recent coaching changes at Ohio State. They focus on the introduction of James Laurinaitis as the linebackers coach and Matt Guerrieri as the safeties coach. They explore Laurinaitis' process of transitioning from a graduate assistant to a full-time coach and the expectations for CJ Hicks in the linebacker room. They also discuss Guerrieri's reunion with Jim Knowles and the familiarity he brings to the safety room. Plus a conversation on where Sonny Styles could end up between linebacker and safety. Also, they do this while switching up the dynamic with Andrew hosting since technically Stephen was the only one there. Thanks for listening to Buckeye talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A college football video game is headed back into stores for the first time in over a decade with different football programs getting in on the promotion. In the wake of the news, Ohio State football was among the numerous teams to create a concept for the game's cover featuring elite players from the last decade. That sparked this episode of Buckeye Talk where Stephen Means and Andrew Gillis discuss which OSU players could've made a case for being on the cover at any point since the game's last edition in 2013. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ryan Day has finally finished off Ohio State football's 2024 coaching staff by promoting James Laurinaitis from graduate assistant to full-time assistant coach. Doing so gives the former three-time All-American full reign over the linebacker position just a year after returning to the program. Stephen Means, Nathan Baird and Andrew Gillis discuss what that means for the Buckeyes going forward. Then the trio gets into the meat of what this episode of Buckeye Talk is all about. OSU has a roster made to win the first national title of the Ryan Day era. But what are the biggest obstacles both within and outside the program that could prevent it from doing so? Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode of Buckeye Talk, Stephen Means, Nathan Baird and Andrew Gillis answer questions from the Subtext subscribers. Among the questions discussed: The 5+7 model for the college football playoff is being discussed and there is a vote scheduled to approve it. What sporting events they would cover if they could go back in time. Ranking the best running backs in Ohio State history. Who will be the offensive and defensive MVPs in 2024? Who's the fasted Buckeye? The art of asking questions during press conferences. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ohio State is moving on from Chris Holtmann as its basketball coach opting to fire him despite having four years still left on a contract extension signed in 2022. Despite the remaining years, the decision doesn’t come as a surprise as the Buckeyes are in the midst of yet another disappointing season that looks destined for them to end on the outside of the NCAA Tournament. Ripping off the band-aid now starts the process of current athletic director Gene Smith and incoming athletic director Ross Bjork finding his replacement. On this emergency episode of Buckeye Talk, Stephen Means and Nathan Baird break down this decision and what it means for OSU basketball. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ohio State continues to put together its 2025 recruiting class which ranks fourth nationally with eight commits including two from five-star recruits, On this episode of Buckeye Talk, Stephen Means and Andrew Gillis explore five of the most important targets left on the board and what landing them would say about the program. They also have a quick conversation about new offensive coordinator Chip Kelly and his potential impact on OSU's quarterback recruiting efforts. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ryan Day pivoted to Chip Kelly as Ohio State's offensive coordinator after losing Bill O'Brien and he might have found the perfect fit. The Buckeyes' offensive personnel features plenty of players Kelly has been known to maximize in the past across multiple places in college football. On this episode of Buckeye Talk, Stephen Means, Nathan Baird and Andrew Gillis explore the impact of Kelly as Ohio State's offensive coordinator and the potential changes to the run game. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ryan Day worked quickly to find a replacement for Bill O'Brien when Ohio State's new offensive coordinator left for Boston College three weeks after getting the job. The abrupt change provided a chance for Day to come full circle in his coaching career as he is expected to bring in Chip Kelly from UCLA. The two have a long-standing relationship with Kelly being Day's offensive coordinator at New Hampshire, then hiring him onto his staff at multiple stops. Now Day's former mentor is expected to head to Columbus to take over the offense at a time when Day feels it's necessary to step away from playcalling. Stephen Means, Nathan Baird and Andrew Gillis take a look at the new hire and its impact on Ohio State. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ryan Day hired Bill O'Brien to run Ohio State football's offense and now O'Brien is walking away just a month after getting to Columbus. Choosing to hand the offense over to someone else was a significant step in Day's growth as a head coach. He admitted it wasn't something he wanted to do, but would have to do for the sake of the program. He thought he'd found the perfect person to hand things off to in O'Brien. But now he'll have to find a Plan B. On this episode of Buckeye Talk, Stephen Means, Nathan Baird and Andrew Gillis discuss the impact of O'Brien's departure and where OSU turns to news to find an offensive coordinator. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Before the 2020 season the Buckeye Talk crew took the time to map out the college football landscape and where Ohio State fit into it. Doing so led to a deep discussion about the tiers of the sport in deciding which teams have realistic championship expectations, who could never dream of having those and everyone else in between. A lot has changed since then (even the makeup of the Buckeye Talk pod). All of that change made this the perfect time to update that list as the sport heads into a 12-team College Football Playoff and two conferences have started bringing many of the sports national powers. Stephen Means, Nathan Baird and Andrew Gillis look at all 69 Power Five programs in the 'Tiers Pod 2.0' as the sport heads into a new era. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A Wednesday press conference was supposed to be Ryan Day's first chance of 2024 to talk about all of the good things happening around the Ohio State football program over the past month or so. Instead thanks to a recent job opening at Boston College, it turned into a day filled with questions on whether Day would have to go out and make a decision about the future of his program that he already wasn't completely excited to do. On this episode of Buckeye Talk, Stephen Means and Nathan Baird discuss Bill O'Brien being potential departure just weeks after being hired as OSU's offensive coordinator. They also talk about why Day chose that now was the perfect time to give up playcalling, a position battle on the right side of the offensive line and what the quarterback battle could look like. Then Stephen and Andrew Gillis talk about Dominic Kirks as the only player in the Buckeyes' 2024 recruiting class who was still unsigned heading into this week. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ryan Day is entering his sixth season as Ohio State football's head coach and his coaching staff has seen a ton of turnover through the years. He's still relatively young in terms of head coaching experience but these years have shown how Day likes to go about building a staff and where his philosophy is potentially evolving. On this episode of Buckeye Talk, Stephen Means, Nathan Baird and Andrew Gillis look at Day's hiring practices and what it says about his ability to do that part of the head coaching job. The discussion highlights the difference in building his offensive and defensive staff in a mix of successful and unsuccessful hires, with some coaches being retained and others being promoted from within. The offensive coaching staff has seen more stability, while the defensive coaching staff has experienced more turnover. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode of Buckeye Talk, Stephen Means, Nathan Baird and Andrew Gillis answer questions from the Subtext subscribers. Among the questions discussed: How should Ohio State deploy a coaching staff in a world where you're allowed to have 15 people? Which freshman quarterback is a better fit for the Buckeyes' offense; What it takes to be a good recruiter and why Tim Walton and Brian Hartline have been so successful; How the Buckeyes' 2024 defense stacks up against Georgia's unit in 2021; Why Signing Day still matters. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

College football is in this weird place right now where a lot is going on and all of it is happening on top of each other. It's what happens when you try to combine a multi-billion dollar sport with the traditional standards of academia. It needs to be fixed and in this hypothetical scenario, Buckeye Talk has been tasked with fixing it. Stephen Means, Nathan Baird and Andrew Gillis try to fix the sport by each giving the three things they'd change if they were put in charge of college football. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Big Ten is expanding to 18 teams which means 17 teams are standing in the way of Ohio State's goals of winning the conference in 2024. As a way to figure out the conference’s new hierarchy, Stephen Means and Andrew Gillis use this Friday episode of Buckeye Talk to discuss the new-look conference in a way inspired by a question from one of out Subtext subscribers: ‘Can we get a big ten power rankings but explained in terms of fast food?’ This episode gets a little weird but in the best way possible. It’s a pod about football, in a nonsensical fashion, which has always been at the heart of what Buckeye Talk is supposed to be. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of Buckeye Talk, Stephen Means and Andrew Gillis discuss the most important things Ohio State needs to do on the recruiting trail for its 2025 class. Among those topics is a conversation about the defensive line and offensive line recruiting. Plus a discussion on the health of OSU's NIL situation and how the 2024 roster provides proof of that. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of Buckeye Talk, the hosts discuss the recent interviews with new Ohio State players. Among the things Stephen Means, Nathan Baird and Andrew Gillis discuss Why Will Howard’s role as a runner at Ohio State may be different from his time at Kansas State, as he emphasized his development as a pocket passer; Why Quinshon Judkins chose Ohio State and pairing with TreVeyon Henderson in the backfield; Seth McLaughlin on his snapping issues last season and the coaching staff’s plan to address them; What influenced Caleb Downs’ decision to transfer to Ohio State after leaving Alabama and; How Howard handled his first public appearance as an Ohio State quarterback. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Winter works are in full swing as Ohio State prepares for the 2024 football season. The Buckeyes are bringing back a ton of talent on offense and defense while also making some key additions in the transfer portal. But the offseason is just as much about young guys looking to turn heads in a way that eventually turns into something on the field. On this Tuesday episode of Buckeye Talk, Stephen Means and Andrew Gillis take a look at some of those players. This isn’t a conversation about the already-established stars of the team. But instead one about a few players that can use this winter and spring to gain something important. Whether it pays off in 2024, or in laters seasons. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ohio State's 2025 recruiting class has been busy in recent weeks as it starts to rack up the commitments. But many of those lately have come on defense which has been a positive change of pace. Now it seems the offense is getting in on the actions with a commitment from fou-star offensive lineman Carter Lowe. On this Monday episode of Buckeye Talk, Stephen Means and Andrew Gillis discuss what Lowe brings to the class plus a bevy of other happenings in the recruiting world for OSU. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ohio State failed to live up to the standard that had been set in the Ryan Day era offensively even with what Marvin Harrison Jr. achieved. That resulted in making a few changes at key positions mixed with a few returns from guys who probably came into the season expecting it to be their last. That combination makes for an interesting offseason featuring a few position battles and a few more interesting questions across the board. On this episode of Buckeye Talk, Stephen Means, Nathan Baird and Andrew Gillis project the offensive starters. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ohio State is bringing back practically every major piece from one of the nation's best defenses while also bringing in a major addition by way of the transfer portal. As the Buckeyes head into winter workouts and prepare for the 2024 season, Stephen Means, Nathan Baird and Andrew Gillis use this episode to dive into what things may look like. That starts by looking into Nathan's projected depth chart and using it to have a deeper conversation about a unit that might give defensive coordinator Jim Knowles more options than he's ever had. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jim Harbaugh was hired in 2015 to fix Michigan and flip the Ohio State-Michigan rivalry back in the Wolverine’s favor and now he’s gone nine years later able to say the mission was successful. Harbaugh leaves Ann Arbor with an 86–25 record (60–17 Big Ten), three conference titles, a 3-5 record against the Buckeyes and a national title. But those championships and rivalry wins all happened over the past three years just as the program was starting to hit its stride. Now he’s gone and that can be viewed as both positive and negative for OSU. On this emergency episode of Buckey Talk, Stephen Means, Nathan Baird and Andrew Gillis discuss Harbaugh’s decision and what it means for Ohio State. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This episode of Buckeye Talk provides a chance for a rapid-fire pod as Ohio State continues to work through the early stages of the offseason. Among the questions from Subtext subscribers discussed: Who's a former player we drove the bus for early and were right? Could Alabama suffer the same fate as other former dynasties following Nick Saban's retirement? Did Ohio State fail C.J. Stroud? How many OSU players will have a rating of at least 90 when the new college football video game comes out this summer? What will the pod look like as we head into the offseason? Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ohio State enters a 2024 spring with five quarterbacks on its roster in what will be the most interesting offseason the position's seen under Ryan Day. On this Tuesday episode of Buckeye Talk, Stephen Means, Nathan Baird and Andrew Gillis try to make sense of what things could look like. The conversation covers everything from what they think the hierarchy will be on Day 1, what the rep distribution could look like and the potential outcomes of trying to manage a room with five different personalities. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ohio State continues to put together an impressive offseason while setting up the most interesting quarterback situation in the country. The Buckeyes had already pulled in Kansas State's Will Howard as a transfer to join a room-returning Devin Brown and Lincoln Kienholz while also singing five-star Air Noland. Now Noland won't be the only five-star freshman joining the room this spring as OSU has added Julian Sayin as well. Saying started his career at Alabama but Nick Saban's retirement opened the door for the nation's top quarterback to explore his options. Now he'll join safety Caleb Downs and center Seth McLaughlin as Crimson Tide players that have transferred to OSU. On this episode of Buckeye Talk, Stephen Means, Nathan Baird and Andrew Gillis discuss the impact of this move and what it can mean for the future of the position at Ohio State. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ohio State just landed the best available player in the transfer portal and added him to a defense that was already trending toward being historical. The fight for Caleb once he left Alabama following Nick Saban's retirement came down to the Buckeyes and Georgia and heading into the end of the week it felt like the Bulldogs were in the lead. But then a few OSU coaches took a trip down to his home in Georgia to see the former five-star safety and did just enough to keep that from happening. Now a player it once finished second for on the recruiting trail, is finally calling Columbus his home. On this emergency episode of Buckeye Talk, Stephen Means, Nathan Baird and Andrew Gillis discuss the impact of Caleb Downs' decision. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ohio State's 2025 recruiting class currently sits fifth nationally with most of that weight being carried by its defense. That’s a much different place than we’ve grown accustomed to seeing in Columbus under Ryan Day where it’s typically taken some time for defensive recruits to jump aboard while the offense thrives. But coming off a year where OSU had arguably the nation’s top defense, it now has proof of what it can be when talking to the nation’s top recruits. On this episode of Buckeye Talk, Stephen Means and Andrew Gillis discuss the early success on the recruiting trail. Plus, a discussion on Alabama transfers Caleb Downs and Kadyn Proctor and the potential value each would bring to the Buckeyes if they were to come. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ryan Day is entering a new phase of his career as Ohio State football's head coach as he's chosen to give up play-calling duties after five seasons. Day has decided to bring in Bill O'Brien as OSU's new offensive coordinator with all the responsibilities that come with that job title. That includes play-calling, overseeing the offensive gameplan and running the quarterback room. This is one of the most pivotal decisions Day has made during his tenure and on this emergency episode of Buckeye Talk, Stephen Means, Nathan Baird and Andrew Gillis break down why. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ohio State's new athletic director Ross Bjork spoke publicly for the first time following his hiring and left quite an impression. On this episode of Buckeye Talk, Stephen Means, Nathan Baird and Andrew Gillis gives their reactions to Bjork, OSU president Ted Carteer and the direction the athletic department could be headed in under their new leadership. Are the Buckeyes preparing for a more aggressive approach to attacking a constantly changing landscape of college sports? PLus, what does Bjorj thing of football head coach Ryan Day? That and more on this latest episode. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A ton has happened since Ohio State's season essentially ended following a 30-24 loss to Michigan. Some of it has been positive, some of it negative and some of it indifferent. But it all has an impact on where OSU could be headed in 2024 as it hopes to end its losing streak to the Wolverines and end ten Big Ten title drought. It'll do so while also entering a new era of college football with the 12-team playoff. On this Tuesday episode of Buckeye Talk, Stephen Means, Nathan Baird and Andrew Gillis discuss all of those things and which ones are the most important to Ohio State. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ohio State finished its season with an 11-2 record and a loss to Michigan for the third straight year while also failing to make the College Football Playoff for the second time of the Ryan Day era. The disappointing finish sent the Buckeyes into the offseason with a different vibe understanding that numerous changes needed to be on the horizon. On this Monday episode of Buckeye Talk, Stephen Means, Nathan Baird and Andrew Gillis revisit their Mark It Down Monday statistical leaders prediction episode from last summer. Once again injuries got in the way of some predictions while others were done so by pleasant surprises on both offense and defense. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Another Friday episode of Buckeye Talk provides a chance for a rapid-fire pod as Ohio State continues to work through the early stages of the offseason. Among the questions from Subtext subscribers discussed: Could Nick Saban's retirement be a good thing for Ohio State? Would Alabama and Ryan Day hypothetically make a good fit? Would Dan Lanning be a bigger threat staying at Oregon or if he would've replaced Saban at Alabama? A preview of a future conversation about the updated tiers of college football. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ryan Day has made his second and third alterations to Ohio State's coaching staff in what could be a major makeover to the 10-man group. After choosing not to retain Perry Eliano as safeties coach, Day has brought Matt Guerrieri who originally followed Jim Knowles to Columbus as a graduate assistant in 2022 before leaving to help coordinate Indiana's defense in 2023. Now he returns as a full-time assistant coach. Plus Parker Fleming has officially been fired after another lackluster year from the special teams. After that, Stephen Means, Nathan Baird and Andrew Gillis look at an offensive coaching staff that might be on the verge of its first major overhaul of the Day era. A pivotal change may be brewing and it says something about Day's growth as a head coach. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ohio State is now living in a world where its rival Michigan is the reigning national champion. On this Wednesday episode of Buckeye Talk, Stephen Means, Nathan Baird and Andrew Gillis explore that reality and its impact on the program. But the question going forward is whether this harsh truth will be short-lived as the Wolverines enter a potentially pivotal offseason of their own. Ryan Day is busy trying to find the right mixture of coaches while putting together a roster capable of ending a three-game losing streak in The Game. Michigan is just trying to figure out what its next steps are as it could lose its coach and a large portion of its most important players while still possibly waiting for further punishment for a sign-stealing scandal that was revealed during the season. That plus a conversation about OSU’s later transfer running back Quinshon Judkins, who announced his commitment just minutes after the National Championship Game concluded. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ryan Day is expected to make significant changes to his coaching staff following Ohio State football third straight Michigan loss and the first one has been revealed. Day has decided not to retain safeties coach Perry Eliano whose contract expires after the 2023 season. This is expected to be the first of a few moves. While Day continues to figure out his 2024 staff, his 2024 roster is also still coming together as a few more players decided to return putting off the NFL for another year. Plus, Could the Buckeyes be in the market for a running back who spent the last two seasons running for 1,000-plus yards in the SEC? On this Buckeye Talk, Stephen Means, Nathan Baird and Andrew Gillis discuss all of that. Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ohio State has added a fourth quarterback to its 2024 roster in Will Howard by way of the transfer portal. Howard spent the first four years of his career at Kansas State as a multi-season starter completing 58.8% of his passes for 5,786 yards and 48 touchdowns. He led the Wildcats to a Big 12 championship in 2022 and is coming off his best statistical season in 2023. Now he’ll join a room in Columbus where the future was in question as the player now considered the front-runner to be the starter. On this episode of Buckeye Talk, Stephen Means, Nathan Baird and Andrew Gillis look at the transfer quarterback from every angle. They’ll evaluate his career at Kansas State through the lens of some of his best games then discuss how he fits into Ohio State’s offense and what things could look like with him under center. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The calendar year has turned and the Ohio State football program has shifted its focus toward preparing for the 2024 season. The defense took significant strides in 2023 and could be in a prime position to build on that success going forward depending on the decision of a handful of players eligible for the NFL Draft On this Thursday episode of Buckeye Talk, Stephen Means, Nathan Baird and Andrew Gillis discuss what that unit could look like in 2024. The trio go through all 11 spots and decide whether they think the potential starter is already on the roster or could be eventually occupied by someone OSU gets from the transfer portal. Thank you for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For the second time in the Ryan Day era, Ohio State has brought in a quarterback from the transfer portal with the idea that he could one day be its starter. Day's first transfer quarterback was Justin Fields from Georgia in 2019, now he's brought in Will Howard from Kansas State to join a battle that will include Devin Brown, Lincoln Kienholz and five-star freshman Air Noland. On this emergency episode of Buckeye Talk, Stephen Means, Nathan Baird and Andrew Gillis break down the addition of Howard and how it impacts OSU's quarterback room. Plus a look at Day and what a decision like this could be signaling in how Day is approaching a vital offseason. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The calendar year has turned and Ohio State has shifted its focus toward preparing for the 2024 season. Offensively that could mean spending the next five months making drastic improvements to a unit that didn't play up to standard for the first time under Ryan Day. On this Thursday episode of Buckeye Talk, Stephen Means, Nathan Baird and Andrew Gillis discuss what personnel changes could be coming because of that reality. The trio go through all 11 spots and decide whether they think the potential starter for that spot is already on the roster or could be eventually occupied by someone OSU gets from the transfer portal. Thank you for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We're almost a week removed from Ohio State ending its season with a loss to Missouri in the Cotton Bowl while its rival Michigan is preparing to play in a National Championship Game against Washington, which also joins the Big Ten next year. It's a new world to live in where a fan base isn't completely confident in what the future will look like heading into Year 6 under Ryan Day. On this Wednesday episode of Buckeye Talk, Stephen Means, Nathan Baird and Andrew Gillis provide a space for the Subtext subscriber to express how they feel about the future of the program using four distinct questions: How do you feel about the direction of Ohio State under Ryan Day? How do you feel about Ohio State's chances of winning an expanded Big Ten next season? Watching Michigan and Washington play for a national title next week makes me feel What should Ohio State's bare minimum College Football Playoff performance be going forward? Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A lot has happened since Ohio State closed out its season with a 14-3 loss to Missouri in the Cotton Bowl. On this Tuesday episode of Buckeye Talk, Stephen Means, Nathan Baird and Andrew Gilliss are here to break it all down. Among the topics discussed: How Michael Hall Jr. declaring for the NFL Draft impacts OSU; Expectations for Ohio tight end transfer Will Kacmarek; Looking at the losses of Bryson Rodgers and Noah Rogers to the transfer portal and the state of the wide receiver room; Who will replace Jesse Mirco after the punter entered the transfer portal and; Reacting to Michigan and Washington reaching the National Championship Game and what it means for Ohio State’s standing as it enters Big Ten expansion and a 12-team College Football Playoff in 2024. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ohio State is ending its season with an 11-2 record for the third-straight season and a second-straight year. It’s also the second straight season where the Buckeyes head into the offseason coming off back-to-back losses one being to your rival and the other an SEC school. Only this time a 14-3 loss to Missouri may sting a little bit more given what they now must head not the offseason dealing with. On this postgame episode of Buckeye Talk, Stephen Means, Nathan Baird and Andrew Gillis react to the loss and where OSU goes from here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ohio State will close out the 2023 season with a game against Missouri in what will be the third time in the past four years that its final game will be against an SEC opponent. Only this time that game won't come in the College Football Playoff instead as just the second time of the Ryan Day era. On this episode of Buckeye Talk, Stephen Means, Nathan Baird and Andrew Gillis give their final thoughts on the Cotton Bowl by discussing two big-picture targets: What can this game mean for Devin Brown and OSU’s quarterback situation? How does a win or a loss impact a program looking for reasons to have optimism? Then Tyler Shoemaker joins the pod as usual to provide some of the best bets of the Cotton Bowl and a few other games left to be played this bowl season. Then Nathan and Andrew rejoin Stephen as the trio gives their game picks. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ohio State is in Dallas, Texas, preparing to face Missouri in the Cotton Bowl to close out the regular season and revealed it’ll have two important members of its offense. Treveyon Henderson and Cade Stover state that both will play on Friday. For Stover, it’s a chance to end a college career that began as a linebacker, then a defensive end before settling in at tight end where he became a John Mackey Award finalist. For Henderson, all that remains it figuring out what he will do after the game as another member of a 2021 recruiting class that has a decision to make after the season on whether he will head off for the NFL or be back in 2024. After that, OSU offensive coordinator Brian spoke with the media along with a handful of defensive players. On this Tuesday episode of Buckeye Talk, Stephen Means, Nathan Baird and Andrew Gillis discuss what Nathan saw and heard in Dallas. Thank you for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ohio State is in Dallas, Texas, preparing to face Missouri in the Cotton Bowl to close out the regular season and may be without an important member of its offense. A small portion of the Buckeyes' Tuesday practice was open to the media revealing that Marvin Harrison Jr., though in attendance is not actually participating in practicing hinting that his college career may be over. So far, he is the only Buckeye expected to opt out of the New Year's Six bowl game. After that, OSU defensive coordinator Jim Knowles spoke with the media along wth a handful of defensive players. On this Tuesday episode of Buckeye Talk, Stephen Means, Nathan Baird and Andrew Gillis discuss what Nathan saw and heard on down in Dallas heading into Friday. Thank you for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ryan Day revealed his criteria when evaluating the jobs of Ohio State's coaching staff every year. His evaluation comes down to how each assistant coach performs in three distinct categories/ Recruiting: “That’s the No. 1 thing. You’ve gotta recruit your position. You’re the head coach of your position. You’ve gotta make sure that room is strong year in and year out. We have a certain amount of depth at each position and then it’s your job to make sure that you have the best room in the country.” Development: “How they perform on the field. What type of production are you getting out of your unit? A big part of that is the development. If you recruit really well and then you’re developing your players are usually going to get production.” Scheme: “What do you bring schematically to the field? Are you putting your guys in a situation to be successful?” Day is heading into a pivotal offseason in terms of how his staff is structured following a third-straight loss to Michigan. There will — or at least shout be —difficult conversations had. On this Saturday episode of Buckeye Talk, Stephen Means, Nathan Baird and Andrew Gillis use Day’s criteria to do their own evaluations on the staff giving each member a grade. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

With Signing Day in the review, Ohio State shifts practically all of its focus on its matchup against Missouri in the Cotton Bowl to close out the 2023 season. That game provides a chance to give an otherwise disappointing season a more positive ending. It’s also a chance to build momentum for 2024 plus the various other reasons why this game is so important. It’s why even a New Year’s Six bowl game that’s not part of the College Football Playoff can still have a ton of intrigue. A few players have something to gain from the Dec. 29 game in Dallas, Texas. On this Friday episode of Buckeye Talk, Stephen Means, Nathan Baird and Andrew Gillis take a look at who some of those players may be and what makes this game so important to both them and the program. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ohio State signed the nation's No.4 recruiting class nationally on a Signing Day that was anything but easygoing. Ryan Day took the podium on Wednesday afternoon still unsure about arguably his two most important commits and the world got to see in real time how emotional getting good news can be. On this Thursday episode of Buckeye Talk, Stephen Means, Nathan Baird and Andrew Gillis recap Signing Day for the 2024 recruiting class looking at where OSU succeeded and potentially came up short. Plus a conversation about whether the class has a quarterback capable of starting as a true freshman. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Signing Day has arrived as Ohio State looks to put the finishing touches on a 2024 recruiting class that sits second nationally. Stephen Means, Nathan Baird and Andrew Gillis will join the rest of the beat in speaking with head coach Ryan Day later this afternoon. Still, in the meantime, the trio uses a Wednesday Buckeye talk to answer a few questions from the Subtext subscribers: Do stars still matter? Is the recruiting tracking industry dead? What's the deal with Ohio State's NIL situation? Who's planning to enroll early? Plus much more including a little Christmas talk. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ohio State is on pace to sign the nation’s No. 2 recruiting class with a 2024 group that features 23 commits and five of them being five-star recruits. Ryan Day will finally talk about that group publicly on Wednesday once they sign their Letters of Intent. On this Monday episode of Buckeye Talk, Stephen Means and Andrew Gillis will look at the nine defensive players in the class and how they fit into the roster as a way to preview Signing Day. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ohio State is on pace to sign the nation's No. 2 recruiting class with a 2024 group that features 23 commits and five of them being five-star recruits. Ryan Day will finally talk about that group publicly on Wednesday once they sign their Letters of Intent. On this Monday episode of Buckeye Talk, Stephen Means and Andrew Gillis will look at the 13 offensive players in the class and how they fit into the roster as a way to preview Signing Day. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ohio State will close out its 2023 season by playing Missouri in the Cotton Bowl hoping to get something positive out of a year where it failed to make the College Football Playoff. But it’ll have to do so against an opponent it doesn’t have a strong history against with this being just the 12th meeting between the two schools and the first since 1998. Basically, these two sides don’t know a ton about each other. On this Friday episode of Buckeye Talk, Stephen Means, Nathan Baird and Andrew Gillis break down the Tigers’ defense and how they may try to stop OSU. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ohio State will close out its 2023 season by playing Missouri in the Cotton Bowl hoping to get something positive out of a year where it failed to make the College Football Playoff. But it’ll have to do so against an opponent it doesn’t have a strong history against with this being just the 12th meeting between the two schools and the first since 1998. Basically, these two sides don’t know a ton about each other. On this Thursday episode of Buckeye Talk, Stephen Means, Nathan Baird and Andrew Gillis break down the Tigers’ offense and how they may try to attack OSU. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ohio State is getting a big boost in the Cotton Bowl as some important players have decided that their college careers aren't over quite yet. Multiple third-year players most thought would be off to the NFL after this season aren't ready to announce whether that will still be the case. On this Wednesday episode of Buckeye Talk, Stephen Means, Nathan Baird and Andrew Gillis react to what Denzel Burke, Emeka Egbuka, Jordan Hancock, Donovan Jackson, Jack Sawyer and Tyleik Williams had to say about their status and the idea that maybe all of them could be back next season. Plus a discussion about Devin Brown getting his chance to finally get his first start at quarterback. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transfer portal season continues around college football with more names seemingly going into it every day and Ohio State has seen its fair share as well. But instead of focusing on who's leaving, on this Tuesday episode of Buckeye Talk, we focus on who should be coming. OSU has some holes to fill this offseason and will need to be even more active in the transfer portal than in years before. Stephen Means, Nathan Baird and Andrew Gillis take a look at Ohio State's roster and what positions are in need of portal help the most. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This Monday episode of Buckeye Talk is brought to you solely on behalf of the Subtexter community askiing questions. Among the topics discussed by Stephen Means, Nathan Baird and Andrew Gillis: Who's still in Ohio State's running back room after a week of departures? Was Kyle McCord's decision to transfer an overreaction on either side? What matters more to Ryan Day's QB reputation between C.J. Stroud's NFL success and McCord's college shortcomings Plus plenty more including what we thought were our favorite movies for 2023. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ohio State is entering its third quarterback battle of the Ryan Day era following the departure of Kyle McCord and two players are getting an early start. Once again the battle features a third-year player looking to finally win the job and a second-year player getting his first shot at doing so. But is the scenario the exact same for Lincoln Kienholz as a player who's always been on a different development plan than we're used to seeing? On this Friday episode of Buckeye Talk, Stephen Means, Nathan Baird and Andrew Gillis look at the Kienholz what this offseason may look like. Can he do the impossible by somehow going from fourth in the pecking or to being at the head of the room? Or does the drastic change not impact his timeline at at? After that lengthy discussion, a special guest joins the pod. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Kyle McCord's departure has once again created a situation where Ohio State is once again looking for a starting quarterback in what will be the third battle of the Ryan Day era. For two players, that battle started the moment McCord went into the transfer portal as they'll use the Cotton Bowl to start making a case to be the guy to replace him. For Devin Brown, that means going through a second-straight offseason where he's involved the battle though this time he'll do so as the oldest player in the room. At least with how things stand right now. On this Thursday episode of Buckeye Talk, Stephen Means, Nathan Baird and Andrew Gillis look at the third-year quarterback from every angle starting with his recruitment and finishing with a discussion of why this is a significant offseason for him and the program. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ohio State has started its preparation for its matchup with Missouri in the Cotton Bowl, but the focus seems to be on everything but for those outside of the program. Whether it's the barrage of transfers leaving the program with the season essentially over, the need to still land some important piece on the recruiting trail with Signing Day approach or major subjects like NCAA preside Charlie Baker introducing proposals that could mean fundamental changes to the structure of Divison I sports. On this Wednesday episode of Buckeye Talk, Stephen Means, Nathan Baird and Andrew Gillis get into all of those things. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Kyle McCord spent one season as Ohio State's starting quarterback and now he's decided to enter the transfer portal. The former five-star quarterback was once the first offensive player to commit to the Buckeyes with Ryan Day as their head coach spending his first two years in the program as C.J. Stroud's backup. Then he took over the starting role in 2023 leading them to an 11-1 record with the one loss being to Michigan. Overall he's 12-1 as a starting also stepping in for an injured Stroud in 2021 against Akron. McCord is only the latest transfer for OSU, but he's also its most prominent as his departure leaves even more questions for Day to answer about a program that is sitting outside of the College Football Playoff. Is the guy who will replace McCord already on the roster, an incoming freshman or will there be a need to bring in a transfer as Ohio State goes through yet another quarterback battle this offseason? On this emergency episode of Buckeye Talk, Stephen Means, Nathan Baird and Andrew Gillis discuss all of that and more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ryan Day spoke for the first time since Ohio State's third-straight loss to Michigan as he reacted to his team being selected to face Missouri in the Cotton Bowl. That matchup with the Tigers was far from the most important topic of discussion. Day instead discusses the state of his quarterback room, how OSU may handle a bowl prep where his team could look very different on Dec. 29, potential staff turnover, the transfer portal and much more. On this Monday episode of Buckeye Talk, Stephen Means, Nathan Baird and Andrew Gillis break down everything Day had to say. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ohio State no longer controls its own postseason destiny, but that doesn't mean it can't still make the College Football Playoff. As they did last season, the Buckeyes have positioned themselves to potentially make the postseason as a one-loss non-conference champion if a few dominoes fall in their favor this weekend. After revealing which OSU offense players earned All-Big Ten honors, Stephen Means, Nathan Baird and Andrew Gillis map out that path. A year ago it only needed one thing to happen. But this time it'll need help from various teams whether that be in the form of a few higher seeds taking care of business or a few lower causing a few upsets. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As Ohio State continues to wait to find out if it has any chance of making the College Football Playoff, its fan base awaits in limbo alongside it. After revealing which OSU defensive players earned All-Big Ten honors, Stephen Means, Nathan Baird and Andrew Gillis answer more questions from Texters in a rapid-fire episode of Buckeye Talk. Today's questions include: • How many more times can Ryan Day lose to Michigan before he's on the hot seat? • Which team was better between Ohio State's 2022 and 2023 rosters? • A rant about a Kyle McCord quote being taken out of context Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As Ohio State awaits to find out if it has any chance of making the College Football Playoff, its fan base awaits in limbo alongside of it. In the meantime, Stephen Means, Nathan Baird and Andrew Gillis answer questions from Texters in a rapid-fire episode of Buckeye Talk. Today's questions include: • Grading the performances of Ohio State's assistant coachees • Is Kyle McCord the unchallenged starter in 2024 and should he be? • How should the Buckeyes attack the transfer portal this offseason? Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Two days after watching Ohio State's 30-24 loss to Michigan, Stephen Means and Nathan Baird sit down to rewatch The Game and go through everything that went wrong. And they literally go through everything as two used a Monday episode of Buckeye Talk to discuss a program that is now dealing with the reality of being on a three-game losing streak to its rival. The first segment deals with Kyle McCord and whether they think his ceiling is high enough to eventually be the quarterback Ohio State needs him to be long-term. But the better question is whether he's capable of ever getting to that ceiling, at least during his time in Columbus as his flaws finally cost Ohio State a game. Following the break they dive into everything Ryan Day. His playcalling, how he's handled the rivalry, his staff decisions and much more on a head coach heading into a career-defining offseason. They wrap things up with some defensive talk and some thoughts on a wide receiver room that didn't quite live up to expectations this season. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ohio State has now lost three straight games to Michigan as it once again watched its season end at the hands of its rival. So where does this program go now? On this postgame episode of Buckeye Talk, Stephen Means, Nathan Baird and Andrew Gillis react to the Buckeyes' 30-24 loss. That reaction includes a look into the psyche of the fanbase by way of the Texters in how they feel about a program that is now on the wrong side of the rivalry. The trio also look at what this means for the program at large and the rest of the 2023 season give OSU's now-slim chances of making the College Football Playoff. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Game has finally arrived in what is yet another matchup between Ohio State and Michigan where both teams are undefeated. Once again, this game will decide who heads to the Big Ten Championship Game next weekend and most likely locks up a spot in the College Football Playoff. It's also the final version of the rivalry game that will ever mean as much as it does this year. Plus some of the off-the-field drama only adds to the magnitude of the moment. On this Friday episode of Buckeye Talk, Stephen Means, Nathan Baird and Andrew Gillis preview The Game from a football perspective. Then Tyler Shoemaker joins the pod as usual to provide some of the best bets of the week both in relation to OSU and around the country. Then Nathan and Andrew rejoin Stephen as the trio gives their game picks. Plus some of the Texters give their best idea for what GameDay signs they would make. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This might be the biggest version of The Game that Ohio State and Michigan have ever been a part of. Part of the reason for that is what is at stake on both sides with a win or a loss. Stephen Means, Nathan Baird, Andrew Gillis and the Texters get into every bit of it on this almost 2.5-hour episode of Buckeye Talk. Ryan Day is trying to avoid losing three straight games to the Wolverines, even if there might one day be an asterisk next to the first two. His first full recruiting class in 2021 is trying to live up to the hype it arrived with while also trying to get their first pair of gold pants finally. Then there’s the Kyle McCord element of this in how much this can impact his legacy as OSU’s latest starting quarterback. This episode is all about being hyperbolic leaving no room for middle ground. It’s a chance to find out where you stand even if you aren’t the most extreme version of that stance. As Ohio State heads into the biggest game it’s played in during the Day era, it’s time to see how a fanbase feels about its head coach and football program. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Numerous members of the Ohio State football program spoke on Tuesday ahead of an all-important game against Michigan. Head coach Ryan Day discusses how the Buckeyes are managing a week filled with a ton of emotions. Defensive coordinator Jim Knowles discussed how much what happened last season is impacting how he’s planning for this season’s game. Then Kyle McCord, Marvin Harrison Jr., Cody Simon, Emeka Egbuka and Denzel Burke gave their thoughts on the rivalry game. Burke was the only person amongst that group to show any level of emotion toward what’s coming on Saturday while everyone else tried their best to keep things vanilla. On this episode of Buckeye Talk, Stephen Means, Nathan Baird and Andrew Gillis discuss the vibes around the Woody Hayes Athletic Center and much more heading into The Game. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jim Harbaugh spoke with the media on Monday to discuss the Ohio State-Michigan game and now it's time to talk about it. Cleveland.com sent its rivalry reporter Jimmy Watkins up to Ann Arbor and afterward, Jimmy joined the rest of the Buckeye Talk crew to discuss the game from Michigan's perspective. That meant determining how healthy the Wolverines are heading into The Game and what the vibe is around a program that is trying to get ready for a rivalry game while also dealing with a scandal. There are numerous reasons why this game matters to the Buckeyes and we will spend all week talking about it. But this might be the end of the line for the Harbaugh era and everything that's led up to it has made it just as significant for that side. In what in many ways feels like the last dance, Jimmy joins Stephen Means, Nathan Baird and Andrew Gillis to discuss everything that's on the line for Michigan on Saturday. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ohio State closed out the home portion of its 2023 schedule with a 37-3 win over Minnesota and we spent almost no time talking about it. The word 'Minnesota' was sad 10 times on this postgame episode of Buckeye Talk as Stephen Means, Nathan Baird and Andrew Gillis elected instead to start talking about Michigan and the most important game on the schedule. How big of a deal is it that OSU could be close to full strength heading into Ann Arbor? Is Ohio State peaking at the right time while the Wolverines may be trending in the wrong direction? Which quarterback would you rather have: J.J. McCarthy or Kyle McCord? These are the things the trio used a postgame pod to discuss to jumpstart a week filled with plenty of talking points surrounding the 2023 edition of The Game. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ohio State wraps up the home portion of its schedule with a game against Minnesota which on paper is expected to be as lopsided as last week's win over Michigan State. One team is trying to pull off an upset by potentially catching the other looking ahead to bigger things. The other side is trying to get through the game as seamlessly as possible without any hiccups. Those hiccups are mostly focused on a special teams unit that has made a habit out of making a noticeable mistake that eventually the right team will capitalize on. On this Friday episode of Buckeye Talk, Stephen Means, Nathan Baird and Andrew Gillis preview The Buckeyes' Week 12 opponent while also discussing what special teams coordinator Parker Fleming had to say about the unit's problems. Then Tyler Shoemaker joins the pod as usual to provide some of the best bets of the week both in relation to OSU and around the country. Then Nathan and Andrew rejoin Stephen as the trio gives their game picks. Finally, before closing things out, the crew takes one last look at the career of Josh Proctor who has been a constant topic of conversation over the past six years. PLus Nathan previews an upcoming story about the most important member of the defense. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Marvin Harrison Jr.'s time as an Ohio State football player isn't over quite yet and how much longer it goes will be decided next weekend in Ann Arbor. But his accomplishments so far have made it abundantly clear that he deserves the right to be called one the best wide receivers in program history. Maybe even the best. That's why on this Thursday episode of Buckeye Talk, we've decided to update OSU's wide receiver Mount Rushmore. It's an exercise we did two years ago across multiple positions, but so much has happened in the wide receiver room that it's fair to see how much has changed from a list that didn't feature anyone whose career takes place during the Ryan Day era. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ryan Day and Jim Knowles spoke ahead of Ohio State's final home game of the 2023 season as it prepares to face Minnesota. On this Wednesday episode of Buckeye Talk, Stephen Means, Nathan Baird and Andrew Gillis react to the various news that came out of the Tuesday press conference starting with the status of various players dealing with injuries. Then after the break, the trio discuss whether they think OSU is planning to make some changes to its offensive line personnel 10 days out from its biggest game of the season against Michigan. Then they wrap things up by discussing how they think Day will handle the various questions about the Wolverines he will get next Tuesday now that The Game has finally arrived. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Tuesday Buckeye Talk, Stephen Means and Andrew Gillis answer questions from texters on Ohio State recruiting. The discussion points: Would a third-straight Michigan loss impact OSU on the recruiting trail? Is Ohio State in danger of losing five-star wide receiver Jeremiah Smith? Thoughts on five-star quarterback commit Air Noland and the future of the quarterback room. What players are the Buckeyes looking to flip between now and Signing Day? Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The most important game of the season awaits Ohio State on Nov. 25 when it travels to Ann Arbor to face Michigan and everything leading up to that date is viewed through those eyes. While the Buckeyes took care of business beating a below-average Michigan State team on Saturday the Wolverines finally played a top-tier opponent walking away with a road win over Penn State. But what did that game teach us about The Game? Stephen Means and Nathan Baird use a Monday episode of Buckeye Talk to discuss what they learned about Michigan on Friday and whether it impacts how we view Ohio State’s chances of ending its two-game losing streak against its rival. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ohio State finally summoned the fast start it had been looking for, scoring touchdowns on five of six first-half possessions and rolling to a 38-3 victory. Nathan and Andrew recap the most significant takeaways, catch up on the injury issues and delve into another dominant performance by the defense. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Big Ten Commissioner Tony Petitti has suspended Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh from being on the sideline for the final three regular-season games. The punishment had been looming for three weeks in the wake of the NCAA opening an investigation of Michigan's illegal in-person scouting operation. Nathan Baird and Andrew Gillis jumped on Buckeye Talk shortly after the news broke to share their first impressions and discuss this through the eyes of Ohio State fans. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ohio State has dominated Michigan State during the Ryan Day era winning by an average margin of 35.5 points. Given the way both teams have looked this season, there is good reason to believe that Saturday will be no different when the Spartans come to Columbus to face the Buckeyes. One side will be looking to continue its march towards returning to the Big Ten Championship Game. The other just trying to get its second Big Ten win. On this Friday episode of Buckeye Talk, Stephen Means, Nathan Baird and Andrew Gillis preview OSU’s Week 11 opponent. Then Tyler Shoemaker joins the pod as usual to provide some of the best bets of the week both in relation to OSU and around the country. Then Nathan and Andrew rejoin Stephen as the trio gives their game picks. Plus they spend a few minutes giving their thoughts on Ohio State’s new alternate grey jersey which will debut Saturday night. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ohio State is two weeks away from the most important game on its schedule when it travels to Ann Arbor to face Michigan. Games against Michigan State and Minnesota until then are simply steps on that journey where the main goal should be walking away without any scares and not adding to its list of players already dealing with injuries. For the Wolverines, the goal is leaving Penn State with a win potentially setting up yet another edition the rivalry where both sides are undefeated. All eyes are on that Nov. 25 matchup, including the guys at Buckeye Talk who will spend this Thursday episode looking at OSU’s roster. Which positions are ready for The Game and which still have reasons for concern with less than 14 days until kickoff? The Texters give their answers in a survey with Stephen Means, Nathan Baird and Andrew Gillis providing their reactions and commentary. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ryan Day spoke with the media ahead of Ohio State's primetime game against Michigan State and the topic of discussion came down to three issues: Day provided insight — well, sort of — into the numerous injuries OSU is dealing with most of which are in its secondary; Kyle McCord's growth and the need for this passing offense to take the next step and; Why can't the Buckeyes special teams unit stop having negative plays that could one day cost them a game or even their season? That's practically what every question asked to Day was about on Tuesday. So that's practically all that will be discussed on this Wednesday episode of Buckeye Talk by Stephen Means, Nathan Baird and Andrew Gillis. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We are two weeks away from Ohio State's matchup with Michigan which will be the deciding factor for a lot of things in the Big Ten. But for right now Stephen Means and Andrew Gillis will use a Tuesday episode of Buckeye Talk to discuss the future of the two programs by looking at their efforts on the recruiting trail. The two look at the difference in standards in class quality but also what a successful cycle looks like. Then after the break they look at the quarterback commits on both sides and how the two are inadvertently linked together. For OSU that’s five-star commit Air Noland and for the Wolverines, four-star Jaydn Davis who was a five-star recruit at one point in his career. Wrapping things up, Andrew reveals which commits on both sides he thinks have a chance to have an impact on the rivalry the earliest in their careers. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's a Buckeye Talk which means taking a look back at Ohio State's most recent performance in a 35-16 win over Rutgers. Stephen Means and Nathan Baird first look back on yet another impressive day for running back TreVeyon Henderson along with an offensive line that may have figured things out in the run game. We've become accustomed to OSU relying on its passing attack to move the ball down the field but that could change in 2023 as long as Henderson is healthy. Then after the break, Stephen and Nathan discuss a defensive line that's been at a quality level all season. But there's maybe an argument that the unit could benefit from a deeper rotation in the name of getting its best guys to the games that matter most. Wrapping things up is yet another discussion about a special teams unit that keeps finding ways to make significant mistakes. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ohio State improved to 9-0 following a 35-16 win over Rutgers that had a little bit of everything in it. There was some good and bad on both the offense and defense while the special teams unit continued its streak of finding a way to have at least one thing go wrong each week. On this postgame episode of Buckeye Talk, Stephen Means, Nathan Baird and Andrew Gillis take a back seat to the Texters allowing them to guide the conversation on how they feel about a team whose still undefeated despite having plenty of flaws. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ohio State looks to extend its winning streak over Rutgers on Saturday even if its offense isn't on par with what it has been in recent years. On this Friday episode of Buckeye Talk, Stephen Means, Nathan Baird and Andrew Gillis preview OSU's Week 10 opponent. Then Tyler Shoemaker joins the pod as usual to provide some of the best bets of the week both in relation to the Buckeyes and around the country. Then Nathan and Andrew rejoin Stephen as the trio gives their game picks. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Kyle McCord is eight games into being Ohio State's starting quarterback this season and his performance may have some mixed reviews among fans. He’s had his fair share of quality moments on his way to 2,163 yards and 14 touchdowns while averaging 9.4 yards per attempt. Those numbers are paired with an 8-0 record which features two wins over top 15 opponents while leading a team that debuted at No. 1 in the College Football Playoff rankings. But he’s also had some no-so-good moments that have often directly led to points not being on the board and resulting in a 64.1 completion percentage which has become uncharacteristic for OSU quarterbacks. Eight games in, how should fans feel about their new quarterback? On this Thursday Buckeye Talk, Stephen Means, Nathan Baird and Andrew Gillis take a step back while allowing the Texters to carry the podcast with their thoughts on McCord. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The first College Football Playoff rankings of the 2023 season are out putting Ohio State in a favorable place. For just the second time in the playoff era, the Buckeyes debuted in the No. 1 spot followed by Georgia, Michigan and Florida State. On this Wednesday Buckeye Talk, Stephen Means and Nathan Baird breakdown what that means going forward. Then Andrew Gillis joins in as the trio to react to everything Ryan Day and Jim Knowles said as OSU prepares to face Rutgers on Saturday. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's another recruiting conversation on Buckeye Talk with this episode featuring a conversation about Ohio State five-star commit Justin Scott. Andrew Gillis went to go watch the nation's No. 12 player and No. 3 defensive linemen last Friday to get an idea of how he fits in the defensive line room and how he ended up committing to the Buckeyes in the first place. After that, he and Stephen Means take a look at the future of the defensive tackle position at Ohio State knowing that there's a chance that the top three players in the hierarchy could all be gone after this season. Is the interior of Larry Johnson's defensive line room in good hands? Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ohio State improved to 8-0 following a 24-10 win over Wisconsin, but not all the members of Buckeye Talk were there to see it live. Stephen Means had a wedding to go to so the rewatch served as more of an initial reaction to the 14-point win. Stephen had a lot of those. Then again so did Nathan Baird who was getting to see it a second time: First, the two look back on what might've been the best game of TreVeyon Henerson's career; Then they breakdown the rest of the offense which includes a short conversation on Marvin Harrison Jr.'s Heisman Trophy case; The second segment is an almost 40-minute-long discussion about yet another dominant performance by a defense that has still yet to give up more than 17 points; Closing things out is a discussion about Kyle McCord's most fatal flaw that continues to an issue, but also on just how healthy the first-year starting quarterback is. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

TreVeyon Henderson returned and responded with his best game of the season. The Buckeye defense continue to roller over Big Ten opponents. Ohio State won 24-10 at Wisconsin in what may have been the final major test until it heads north to face Michigan in the regular-season finale. Nathan and Andrew take a quick run through the highlights in this postgame pod from the road. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ohio State's next game is probably the closest thing on the schedule that resembles the idea of a trap game. OSU is coming off a hard-fought, emotional win over a top-10-ranked Penn State team and now will head on the road for a night game against a Big Ten West opponent. Wisconsin comes into Saturday night’s game with a 5-2 record in the first year under long-long Buckeye Luke Fickell looking to put up a better fight than the first time he faced his alma mater in 2019 as Cincinnati’s head coach. Stephen Means, Nathan Baird and Andrew Gillis use this Fridau episode of Buckeye Talk to preview Ohio State’s Week 9 opponent and whether it can shut down another quality Big Ten running back in Braelon Allen. The Tyler Shoemaker joins the pod as usual to provide some of the best bets of the week both in relation to OSU and around the country. That includes whether or not to continue hammering home the point that maybe Las Vegas is a little too low on tight end Cade Stover’s production. Then Nathan and Andrew rejoin Stephen as the trio gives their game picks, followed by Nathan giving Stephen a hard time for his conservative fake betting practices this season. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Marvin Harrison Jr. has picked up where he left off last season as clearly the nation's best wide receiver but can Ohio State's best weapon take it a step further? The Heisman Trophy field still seems to be wide open and Harrison is coming off yet another dominant performance against a Penn State team that arguably has the nation's best defense. He could not only be building his case to win a Fred Biletnikoff Award that some felt he deserved last year but also be in contention for college football's most prestigious award. Stephen Means and Andrew Gillis use this Thursday episode of Buckeye Talk to explore how realistic his chances are of being a finalist and what the path looks like over the next month to make that happen. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Michigan became the biggest topic of conversation late last week, but Ohio State d coach Ryan Day didn’t have to deal with discussing it until after getting a chance to celebrate a 20-12 win over Penn State, Then Tuesday hit and even he knew that his thoughts on what was going on with the Wolverines was going to be the first thing everyone wanted to know. He didn’t take the bait instead declining to comment. Is that the right way for him to go about this as OSU continues its 2023 season knowing its rival awaits it at the end of the year? Stephen Means, Nathan Baird and Andrew Gillis use this Wednesday episode of Buckeye Talk to discuss, whether Day plans to still use the red zone package without Devin Brown, the injury status of a few key plays and much more. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Tuesday episode of Buckeye Talk, Stephen Means and Andrew Gillis look back at Ohio State's big recruiting weekend. Then after the break they discuss some recent recruits and targets Andrew got to see in person one what is one of the more high-profile games in Northeast Ohio High School football. To close things out, they preview a trip to Chicago where Andrew Gillis will visit with five-star commit Justin Scott. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Another Monday Buckeye Talk means another chance to break down an Ohio State win with Penn State being the victim this time. Stephen Means and Nathan Baird break down the Buckeyes' 20-12 win over the Nittany Lions looking at the dominance of the defense, the pros and cons of the offense and two underrated special teams moments that may have decided the game. OSU's offense will surely need to keep improving over the next four games before Nov. 27. But did the defensive play potentially provide a blueprint for how it can snap its two-game losing streak to Michigan? Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ohio State just got its second big win of the season beating Penn State at home 20-12 and it did so on the back of its defense. On this postgame Buckeye Talk, Stephen Means, Nathan Baird and Andrew Gillis discuss whether OSU’s defense has reached the point that it can be the catalyst behind the reason this team can win a national title. Plus a conversation about McCord’s continued progression including one major deficiency that keeps popping up even if it has yet to be costly. All that and more on this postgame episode. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ohio State's second big game of the season has arrived with a top-10 matchup with Penn State on the docket. That means a packed episode of Buckeye Talk: First Stephen Means, Nathan Baird and Andrew Gillis react to the latest trouble OSU's rival Michigan finds itself in; Then they discuss the game at hand; Stephen is then joined by PennLive.com's Johnny McGonigal to get an inside look at the Nittany Lins; Then as always, Tyler Shoemaker provides his insight from a betting perspective on a game expected to be a rock fight where the defenses control the pace; Then Stephen, Nathan and Andrew wrap things up with their game picks plus a discussion on who a win would mean more for. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Thursday episode of Buckeye Talk, the crew gets back to their roots while discussing Ohio State's upcoming top-10 matchup with Penn State. It's been a while since the podcast has had an episode go for almost two hours but a game with significant Big Ten and College Football Playoff implications makes it well worth it. Stephen Means, Nathan Baird and Andrew Gillis discuss Saturday's game using six simple questions that sum up everything that will matter: Should Ohio State still be trying to redshirt Dallan Hayden given the state of the running back room? How ready is Kyle McCord for his second big game as starting quarterback? What's the best unit between OSU's offense and defense and PSU's offense and defense? What's the most important positional matchup in deciding who will win the game? Who is an Ohio State offensive and defensive player who can use this game to make a name for himself? Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Wednesday episode of Buckeye Talk, Stephen Means, Nathan Baird and Andrew Gillis react to the comments from Ohio State's head coach Ryan Day and Jim Knowles as OSU prepares to face Penn State. Among the things discussed: Should Ohio State still be trying to redshirt Dallan Hayden given the state of the running back room? How ready is Kyle McCord for his second big game as starting quarterback? Could Jermaine Mathews step up as a freshman cornerback if Denzel Burke can't play? Is there a rotation forming at Will linebacker? Plus much more. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ohio State spent last weekend retooling its secondary for the future, but it also brings up a question of what that future will look like. On this Tuesday episode of Buckeye Talk, Stephen Means and Andrew Gillis take a look at the commitments of 2024 safety Leroy Roker and 2025 cornerback Blake Woodby. The two additions may paint a of picture of how different the two parts of OSU’s secondary recruiting have gone. Tim Walton has gotten off to a hot start on the recruiting trail, fueled mostly by an uptick in in-state talent. But landing Woodby proved his ability to go national with his efforts as the fifth top-100 recruit he’s landed despite this being only his second year on the staff. Perry Eliano was brought in as a young coach with a potentially high upside both as a developer and a recruiter. The development has been there as his starting trio of Josh Proctor, Lathan Ransom and Sonny Styles have played at a high level this year. He even has freshman Malik Hartford ahead of schedule as a guy on pace to win a starting spot in 2024. But the recruiting trail hasn’t been as kind to him as he’s struck out on his top options in back-to-back classes The future for the cornerback room is high. But should OSU be worried about its safety room? Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Monday Buckeye Talk, Stephen Means and Nathan Baird look back at Ohio State's 41-7 win over Purdue. Among the things discussed: A review of OSU's first game on Peacock; Was that Kyle McCord's best game as QB1?; Did the offensive line finally show progress; An uncharacteristic day by Marvin Harrison Jr. and the wide receivers; How the Buckeyes could deploy the cornerbacks if Denzel Burke can't play; The uptick in defensive line production Plus plenty more as Ohio State turns its attention toward preparing for a top 10 matchup with Penn State. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ohio State got out of Purdue still undefeated. Now it can shift all of its focus solely on a top-10 matchup with Penn State. But its 41-7 win over the Boilermakers still provides some interesting topics to discuss that might matter down the road. The Buckeye debut a new role for backup quarterback Devin Brown in the form of a red zone pack that can help fix the problems in the run game; Once again Dallan Hayden was called upon to be the guy as the running back room continued to deal with injuries. Do they need to forget trying to redshirt him and give him a real role? Did OSU show enough to let you feel confident in what they'll perform like next Satuday. Stephen Means, Nathan Baird and Andrew Gillis discuss that and more on this postgame episode. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ohio State heads into its sixth game of the season on Saturday in the form of a road matchup against Purdue streaming exclusively on Peacock. Every game provides a chance for some element of the Buckeyes' team to prove itself and often you look at the roster to find such. But is there an argument to be made that no one has more to show than the coaches, especially those on offense as OSU tries to figure out how to improve a limited offensive line? Perhaps a trip to West Lafayette, Indiana, a place that has been known to be a death trap for Ohio State provides the perfect environment to do such before heading into a top-10 matchup next week. After a lofty discussion, Stephen again kicks Nathan and Andrew off the pod to bring in Tyler Shoemaker to discuss the best bets in a game where OSU is a 19-point favorite. Then Nathan and Andrew return as the two join Stephen in making their game picks. Lastly, Nathan takes us down memory lane of his days covering Purdue as the only one of the trio who covered the game the last time the Boilermakers hosted Ohio State in 2018. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Thursday episode of Buckeye Talk, the guys take a trip into the future by bringing the new 12-team College Football Playoff into the present. The expanded playoff will start next season which will bring along with it a different path to a national title. For a program like Ohio State that has constantly been in the playoff discussion even in years where it's been on the outside looking in, the expansion should change the conversation a bit. The Buckeyes will more than likely no longer be so concerned about its chances of playing in the postseason. So how does that impact the way we talk about them on a weekly basis? Stephen Means, Nathan Baird and Andrew Gillis try to take a run at what that would look like evaluating OSU's 2023 season through five games as a way to get ready for a change that's right around the corner. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ryan Day and Jim Knowles spent Tuesday's presser in preparation for Ohio State's matchup with Purdue providing plenty of things to talk about. Stephen Means, Nathan Baird and Andrew Gillis use a Wednesday episode of Buckeye Talk to discuss all of it. That starts with a conversation about whether OSU needs Emeka Egbuka on Saturday after the star wide receiver left a win over Maryland with an injury. Then we discuss Day revealing why Dallan Hayden has had practically no role this season and why that may be a good thing for OSU's future. But the bulk of the discussion is centered around the ongoing issues on the offensive line as the most prominent thing about the 2023 roster. Does Ryan Day think things can get better, or will it one day be the downfall of the season? Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Tuesday episode of Buckeye Talk, Stephen Means and Andrew Gillis discuss the latest Oho State recruiting updates centered on the most recent addition to the 2025 class. The Buckeyes added Jayvan Boggs as a three-star recruit who could be the latest example of Brian Hartline getting in on a wide receiver early. Then Andrew breaks down his impressions of offensive tackle target Carter Lowe and what the four-star recruits think of the Buckeyes. Finally, Stephen and Andrew give their impressions of OSU’s first big visitor weekend of the fall. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Monday episode of Buckeye Talk, Stephen Means and Nathan Baird take a look back at Ohio State's 37-17 win over Maryland. That means looking at everything that went right and the few things that went wrong that might be bigger issues against better teams. Much of that is centered around the Buckeye's offensive line which continues to be the most pressing issue for an offense still looking to hit its stride. Those problems compounded against Maryland as OSU struggled for most of the first half until finally putting it together halfway through the third quarter. Meanwhile, the defense continues to trend upward with arguably its most complete performance of the season. Stephen and Nathan spent almost an hour critiquing the offense. But they spent just as much time talking about all the good things that happened for a defensive unit that's clearly coming into its own. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ohio State returned to the field to face an undefeated Maryland team and walked away with a 20-point win even if it took some time for the offense to get going. So Stephen Means, Nathan Baird and Andrew Gillis used a postgame Buckeye Talk to try to make sense of it. Should you be worried about how long it took the offense to start clicking while being held under 40 points for the fourth time this season? Or should you focus on what is clearly an improved defense starting to trend toward being elite? Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ohio State returns to the field for the first time since a big win over Notre Dame to host Maryland in what is the Buckeyes' seventh-straight game against an undefeated opponent heading back to last season. This Friday episode of Buckeye Talk is about getting OSU prepared to face the Terrapins. But first a quick discussion about the status of wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. and whether we should expect to see more of running back Miyan Williams going forward. That’s followed by Stephen once again kicking Nathan and Andrew off the pod to welcome Tyler Shoemaker, as the two discuss the game’s best bets. Then Nathan and Andrew return as the trio wraps things up with their game picks, plus a short discussion on whether Maryland could play spoiler for any of the top three teams in the Big Ten East. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This Thursday Buckeye Talk is brought to you by an important question in discussing which head coach has been better between Ohio State's Ryan Day and USC's Lincoln Riley. One of our loyal text subscribers has asked Stephen Means, Nathan Baird and Andrew Gillis to discuss the two while having a deep discussion about what is more important to a resume: A Heisman Trophy winner or a College Football Playoff win: The discussion kicks off with the trio deciding which coach they feel has been better; The topic shifts to breaking down what either Kyle McCord winning a Heisman or Day getting his second CFP win would do for Day's resume; Finally, they decide which holds more weight for Day who has made it clear that OSU's identity under him is being a program that competes for championships while producing elite quarterbacks. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Wednesday episode of Buckeye Talk, Stephen Means, Nathan Baird and Andrew Gillis discuss what Ryan Day and Jim Knowles had to say as Ohio State prepares to face Maryland. The conversation includes a look at where quarterback Kyle McCord can take his next step as OSU's starter and Day's frustration with the inability to convert in short-yardage situations. Then after the break, the trio talks defense and how the lack of aggressiveness in Knowles' play-calling hasn't prevented the unit from being among the nation's best so far. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Tuesday episode of Buckeye Talk, Stephen Means and Andrew Gillis take recruiting questions from our text subscribers. Given the recent decisions of both commits and other targets, of course, the entire conversation was all about the future of the offensive line. That includes discussing the decommitment of three-star Marc Nave, four-star target Jordan Seaton plus a conversation about whether Ohio State could ever have the nation's No. 1 recruiting class. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ohio State's 2023 schedule is filled with opponents featuring quality options at quarterback so Stephen Means and Nathan Baird used this Monday episode of Buckeye Talk to break down them all down. Kyle McCord beat the first name on that list in Notre Dame's Sam Hartman but still to come are Maryland's Taulia Tagovailoa, Penn State's Drew Allar and Michigan's J.J. McCarthy. Where does Kyle McCord rank among those players heading into his fifth game as a starter? What are the chances he's the better quarterback on the field by the time each game arrives? Does OSU need him to turn into the Big Ten's best quarterback for it to achieve its goals? All those questions are discussed to start off a week where the Buckeyes will return to the field after an off week. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Before covering Ohio State's 17-14 win over Notre Dame last week, Stephen Means and Andrew Gillis stopped to watch five-star wide receiver commit Mylan Graham. So on this Friday episode of Buckeye Talk, the two discuss what they saw or didn't see. Then they wrap things up with a conversation about the future of OSU's wide receiver room which could lose its top four players after the 2023 season leaving room for anyone to claim a starting spot next season. That includes the three commits in the 2024 class the latest highly-rate recruits Brian Hartline has landed. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Thursday Buckeye Talk, Stephen Means, Nathan Baird and Andrew Gillis discuss Kyle McCord coming off his first big win as Ohio State's starting quarterback. McCord agreed with the idea that one of the things that might make him special is his poise and that was on display during a game-winning drive against Notre Dame. But how did he develop that trait? The trio discuss McCord plus provides an update on an important Buckeye wide receiver who left South Bend, Indiana, with an ankle injury even if he was able to finish the game. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ohio State played just four games before heading into the off-week with a 4-0 record, ranking fourth in the Associated Press Top 25 poll. It'll return on Oct. 7 to host Maryland, but the first four weeks provided a decent enough sample size to take a bigger picture view of things about this roster. On this Wednesday pod, Stephen Means, Nathan Baird, Andrew Gillis and the Buckeye Talk text subscribers review OSU's performance so far this season breaking things into the offense and defense and answering these questions: Who are the offensive and defensive champions through 4 games? Rank the offensive and defensive position groups from most to least confident in going forward Rank the assistant coaches based on performance & recruiting. After a lengthy discussion on the two sides of the ball, the trio wrapped things up by revealing what they think this team's ceiling is plus a conversation of which regular season opponent is the biggest threat to Ohio State. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Tuesday Buckeye Talk, Stephen Means, Nathan Baird and Andrew Gillis look back on Ohio State's 17-14 win over Notre Dame. Among the things discussed: The high-level play of the secondary through four weeks; How the defensive line held up against a quality Fighting Irish offensive line and a change in philosophy in how Larry Johnson rotates; What to take from the low Pro Football Focus grades from the linebackers; OSU’s defense was clearly the better unit the first four weeks of the season, but is there anything to still be worried about on that side of the ball? Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Monday Buckeye Talk, Stephen Means, Nathan Baird and Andrew Gillis look back on Ohio State's 17-14 win over Notre Dame. Among the things discussed: Are the offensive line actually fixable after four games of struggle; Notre Dame's success in taking away Marvin Harrison Jr. and how the Buckeyes can combat it going forward; Ryan Day's play-calling in the red zone; Can Kyle McCord still continue Ohio State's streak of first-year starting quarterbacks who've been Heisman Trophy finalists? Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The defense set the foundation, Kyle McCord, Emeka Egbuka and Chip Trayanum came through with clutch plays on the final drive, and Ohio State escaped Notre Dame with a 17-14 victory. In this episode hastily recorded in a Trader Joe's parking lot, we gave our instant reaction to Ryan Day's fired-up comments after the game, what Kyle McCord showed in that final drive and what this win means for a defense whose time may have arrived. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's Friday which means it's time to break down Ohio State's primetime road matchup with Notre Dame. After discussing the two programs all week, Stephen Means, Nathan Baird and Andrew Gillis have just two more things to discuss: During his Friday radio show, Ryan Day stated that the Buckeyes' offense is "gonna let it rip" against the Fighting Irish after using the first three games to build up to this one. Following a lengthy discussion about what OSU's offensive plan to be aggressive really means, the trio talk about Notre Dame's starting quarterback and how big of a threat he truly is on Saturday. To do so, they — with the texters' help— look at the past nine quarterbacks who have beaten Ohio State to figure out how he measures up. That's followed by Stephen once again kicking Nathan and Andrew off the pod to welcome Tyler Shoemaker as the two discuss the game's best bets, of which there are plenty, unlike the past three weeks. Then Nathan and Andrew return as the trio wrap things up with their game picks plus a short discussion on ranking the best teams on the Buckeyes' 2023 schedule. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Thursday Buckeye Talk, Stephen Means, Nathan Baird and Andrew Gillis take a unique angle in discussing Ohio State's primetime matchup with Notre Dame. This is the first like-minded opponent either side has played this season in a matchup that could end up having significant implications for the College Football Playoff. But there are also a few individual storylines that are just as important. We're trying to figure out which of those people have the most to prove on Saturday. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When Ohio State back-doored its way into the College Football Playoff last season Ryan Day vowed that the world would see a more aggressive side of him and his program. Then he backed it up against Georgia, even if it still led to a one-point loss. But that game breathed new life into the program's future under Day while also setting a new standard for what to expect from his teams. The first three games haven't required that version of him to come out. But heading into a top-10 matchup with Notre Dame on the road, it may be finally time to bring that side out. On this Thursday Buckeye Talk, Stephen Means, Nathan Bard and Andrew Gillis talk about Day's approach to Saturday's game plus a discussion about what else Day and Jim Knowles may be ready to unleash in a talent-equated matchup. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Tuesday Buckeye Talk, Stephen Means and Andrew Gillis discuss Ohio State's 2025 quarterback commit Tavien St. Clair. Even before Ryan Day showed up the Buckeyes had had an impressive run of in-state quarterbacks who would go on to do impressive things in Columbus, some of them turning into Heisman Trophy winners and others leading the team to national titles. But can St. Clair one day develop into both as a fast-rising prospect that could one day earn five-star status? Plus a look ahead to what the quarterback room could look like by the time he arrives. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The level of competition on Ohio State's schedule is about to take a significant step up as the program got through its first three weeks 3-0. Wins over Indiana and Youngstown Sta were about the Buckeyes figuring out the rest of its two-deeps specifically at the starting quarterback spot where Kyle McCord and Devin Brown’s battle continued on. A 63-10 win over Western Kentucky on Saturday was about solidifying that two deep and building momentum toward the future. That mission can be deemed a success. Now it’s time to find out how good this team can be with an early test in the former of a primetime, top-10 matchup with Notre Dame. On this Monday Buckeye Talk, Stephen Means and Nathan Baird take a look back at OSU’s win over the Hilltoppers while also getting an early look at its next opponent: The Fighting Irish. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ohio State spent the past week picking a quarterback and taking the necessary steps toward preparing for a schedule that was about to get much tougher. Those actions showed in a 63-10 win over Western Kentucky where the offense looks closer to what we’ve come to expect from the Buckeyes and the defense wreaked havoc for 60 minutes. It was a good way to punctuate the end of what has felt like the college football version of a preseason. But that’s over now and all that matters is figuring out what we can take from the dominant win and apply to what is coming next Saturday when OSU heads to Notre Dame. On this postgame episode of Buckeye Talk, Stephen Means, Nathan Baird and Andrew Gillis explore just that. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Friday Buckeye Talk, Stephen Means, Nathan Baird and Andrew Gillis break down Ohio State's home game against Western Kentucky and make their picks. Here's what gets discussed: The bulk of the conversation is centered around a question from a text subscriber: 'What should we consider success against this WKU high-powered offense?'  Then we flip that question around on the offense discussing what success looks like for a unit that is locked in on Kyle McCord being its starting quarterback Then per usual, Stephen kicks the two off the pod and invites Tyler Shoemaker to discuss the game from a gambling perspective. Then the trio returns to make their game picks. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This Thursday episode of Buckeye Talk is brought to you solely on behalf of the texter community delivering questions about practically everything under the sun. Among the topics discussed by Stephen Means, Nathan Baird and Andrew Gillis: Kyle McCord is Ohio State's starting quarterback in 2023. But does that mean he’s guaranteed to keep it in 2024 if he comes back? Are the new play clock rules costing the Buckeyes’ “styles points” on their College Football Playoff resume? Our thoughts on Devin Brown’s explosiveness as a runner, or lack thereof; Jim Knowles’ new “feast or famine” philosophy; Where to rank the winner of the Ohio State-Notre Dame game; Plus plenty more including bagel preferences, journalism journeys and thoughts on the OSU fan base. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ryan Day has finally named an official starting quarterback for the 2023 season. Kyle McCord started the first two games but was still technically in a battle with Devin Brown to win the role. Now that competition has concluded and Stephen Means, Nathan Baird and Andrew Gillis discuss what that means for Ohio State's offense going forward. Afterward, they react to Day's displeasure with the offensive execution, especially on third down. Then they wrap up with what Jim Knowles had to say about the defensive line and a freshman safety who had been turning heads all offseason. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's another Tuesday Buckeye Talk which means that Stephen Means and Andrew Giillis talk Ohio State recruiting. The bulk of the conversation is around 2025 target Dorien Brew as the latest in what's been a run of talented cornerbacks in the Buckeyes backyard. Andrew went to watch the five-star prospect to get an idea as to what OSU would be getting if it lands him. After that, we get inside the mind of Andrew Gillis providing yet another opportunity for the listeners to get to know him with a little football talk. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Stephen Means and Nathan Baird are back with another Monday podcast that still doesn't have a name, but has a purpose. They will break down Ohio State's 35-7 win over Youngstown State. Per usual, breaking down the home opener is broken up into three categories: Quarterback Talk: Discussing the best and worst thing we saw from Kyle McCord and Devin Brown and if their upside flashed in any capacity Offensive Talk: What's the best and worst play from the offense plus who who thought was the Player of the Game Defensive Talk: What's the best and worst play from the defense plus who who thought was the Player of the Game Then they'll close things out every week by answering one question: Did the Buckeyes look like a College Football Playoff team? Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ohio State improved to 2-0 after its 35-7 win over Youngstown State, but the more important detail comes down to one spot: quarterback. Stephen Means, Nathan Baird and Andrew Gillis use this postgame Buckeye Talk to discuss the status of the ongoing quarterback battle between Kyle McCord and Devin Brown is still that. Or if McCord used the first two weeks to solidify what the trip already thought coming into the season. Whether Ryan Day is ready to publicly admit it or not. That drives most of the conversation plus a small discussion on the offensive line's progress — or lack thereof — and on the play of the defense. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Friday Buckeye Talk, Stephen Means, Nathan Baird and Andrew Gillis break down Ohio State's home opener against Youngstown State and make their picks. Here's what gets discussed: The conversation starts by trying to figure out how to talk about a matchup between one of the nation's most prominent programs and a middle-of-the-pack FCS school Then the trio discuss what OSU can show on offense and defense to let them know there was improvement coming off Week 1, even if it won't be easy to see it actually play out. Then again Stephen kicks the two off the pod and invites Tyler Shoemaker to discuss the game from a gambling perspective. Then the trio returns to make their game picks. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ohio State football’s home opener is against a middle-of-the-pack FCS school which means it’s probably going to win by 50. The services of its stars, starters and established players won’t be needed for very long for OSU to walk away with a win over Youngstown State. So Stephen Means, Nathan Baird and Andrew Gillis aren’t going to spend any time talking about those guys. Instead, they’ll be talking about the players behind them who will each be getting extended playing. Maybe those extra snaps lead to something more this season, or maybe it’s just a preview of what is to come. Either way, the Thursday pod is all about the future as the trio drafts the players they’re most interested in watching against the Penguins Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ryan Day isn’t planning on changing his approach to the quarterbacks when Ohio State plays its home opener against Youngstown State on Saturday. Once again Kyle McCord will start with the plan being for Devin Brown to play. Given the opponent, it is fair to assume Brown will play more than the seven snaps he was allotted against the Hoosiers. But will it actually mean anything or is the quarterback competition already over? Stephen Means, Nathan Baird and Andrew Gillis discuss that on this Wednesday Buckeyes Talk plus Day’s thoughts on the offensive line play which he stated wasn't something he felt wasn't correctable. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Prior to covering Ohio State's season-opener against Indiana, Andrew Gillis spent Friday night watching 2024 offensive line commit Ian Moore and Stephen Means wants to know what he saw. Moore is rated as the nation’s No. 128 player and No. 7 interior offensive lineman out of New Palestine High School in Indiana. The Buckeyes have recruited him as a tackle. On this Tuesday’s recruiting Buckeye Talk, Stephen and Andrew broke down OSU’s highest-rated offensive lineman and how the four-star recruit fits into the program’s future. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Buckeye Talk's in-season Monday pod is debuting a new format where Stephen Means and Nathan Baird the game starting with the season-opener against Indiana in which Ohio State won 23-3. Each week the breakdown will be broken up into three categories: Quarterback Talk: Discussing the best and worst thing we saw from the QB and if his upside flashed in any capacity Offensive Talk: What's the best and worst play from the offense plus who who thought was the Player of the Game Defensive Talk: What's the best and worst play from the defense plus who who thought was the Player of the Game Then they'll close things out every week by answering one question: Did the Buckeyes look like a College Football Playoff team? Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ohio State got its 28th-straight win over Indiana opening up the 2023 season with a 23-3 win on the road and now it is time to talk about it. On this postgame Saturday pod, Stephen Means, Nathan Baird and Andrew Gillis start by reacting to Kyle McCord’s second start as a Buckeye and first start against a Big Ten — or even a Power Five — opponent where he threw for 239 yards but failed to throw a touchdown. They also discuss the usage — or lack thereof — of Devin Brown as QB2. Following some quarterback talk, it’s time to talk about the defense that limited the Hoosiers to a field goal and 153 yards. Then they wrap up by discussing the one part of this roster that might end up being its Achilles Heal if it’s not fixed over the next two weeks. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Friday Buckeye Talk, Stephen Means, Nathan Baird and Andrew Gillis break down Ohio State's season-opener against Indiana and make their picks. Here's what gets discussed: The conversation starts by getting to know the Hoosiers and their dozens of newcomers by way of the transfer portal. Then Stephen asked Nathan and Andrew a simple question: What can OSU show on offense and defense to let you know the rosters on a national championships trajectory? Afterward, Stephen kicks the two off the pod and invites Tyler Shoemaker to discuss the game from a gambling perspective. Finally, the trio returns to make their game picks. But not before a lengthy discussion about milkshakes because who doesn't like a good milkshake? Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This Thursday episode of Buckeye Talk is brought to you solely on behalf of the texter community delivering questions about practically everything under the sun. Among the topics discussed by Stephen Means, Nathan Baird and Andrew Gillis: How Ohio State can adapt to the new play clock rules in college football; What a successful day looks like in the Buckeyes’ season-opener against Indiana for the offensive line; What the world can learn about OSU, Penn State and Michigan in Week 1 given all three are heavy favorites; Explaining why Ohio State uses its best and most veteran weapons as return specialists; Pressbox go-toes when it comes to food and; A handful of questions that are directed at Andrew as the texters still get to know Buckeye Talk’s newest member. Plus there is a quick journey down memory road to a time when Stephen once thought he was invincible. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ohio State has finally picked its starting quarterback...well, sort of. Ryan Day announced on Tuesday that Kyle McCord will take the first snap in the season opener against Indiana, but that the plan is for Devin Brown to also play meaningful snaps. So of course Stephen Means, Nathan Baird and Andrew Gillis had to break down what that means and what that could look like. Then Stephen puts Nathan and Andrew in the shoes of Day asking them how they would handle the quarterback situation to start the season given the current known facts. That carries the bulk of the pod, but there's also a short discussion about the defense based on Jim Knowles revealing that there is still one position battle taking place in the secondary. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Tuesday pod, Stephen Means and Andrew Gillis discuss Ohio State's 2024 recruiting class which heads into the fall with 22 commits and the nation's No. 2 class. Most of the work for the class has been one, but there are still a few targets left on the board that the Buckeyes hope to land by Signing Day.As OSU shifts its main focus to preparing for games every Saturday, Stephen and Andrew discuss those targets while figuring out its chances of finishing with the nation’s top class. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The 2023 college football season has arrived, and Stephen Means, Nathan Bard and Andrew Gillis are making their playoff picks on the final Mark It Down Monday before the Ohio State Buckeyes open the season on the road against Indiana on Saturday. The conversation starts by discussing which team's odds they'd be willing to take on winning the national title. Then it's on to sharing all four of their playoff teams before picking the winners of those semifinals and picking College Football National Champions. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Friday Buckeye Talk, Stephen Means, Nathan Bard and Andrew Gillis (with the help of the text subscribers) complete the second part of its two-day process of deciding who Ohio State's best players are coming into the the 2023 season. On Thursday that meant figuring out the top 15 players on offense headlined by Marvin Harrison Jr. being the clear top choice. Now it's time to do the same on defense though this time there was more of a competition for No. 1. In fact, there were a few places where multiple people had claim for why they deserved to be on the list. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Thurday Buckeye Talk, Stephen Means, Nathan Bard and Andrew Gillis (with the help of the text subscribers) decide who Ohio State's top 15 offensive players are in the only way they know how, by drafting. Marvin Harrison Jr. was the obvious choice for the top spot on this list, but that doesn’t mean he was the unanimous choice. But the most intriguing part of the conversation was figuring out where to put Kyle McCord or Devin Brown on this list given neither has won the starting quarterback job yet. The topic created a spicier conversation than you might have anticipated. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Wednesday Buckeye Talk, Stephen Means, Nathan Baird and Andrew Gillis discuss a wide range of topics: First Stephen poses a question about whether any of Ohio State's freshman wide receivers can carve out a role even though the top four are all back Then a discuss about OSU's reportedly new president hire Ted Carter and what it means in finding Gene Smith's replacement as Athletic Director Finally, the trio talk about Ryan Day's decision to continue calling plays for the 2023 season. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ohio State has to play a football game in less than 14 days and it still doesn't have a starting quarterback, but that doesn't have to be a negative. Kyle McCord and Devin Brown continue to battle to be the Buckeyes' next starter and coming out of their second scrimmage of fall camp Ryan Day still thinks its neck-and-neck, but for all the right reasons. Now there is a chance that he could be coming around on the idea of having the competition leak over into the first few weeks of the season. Stephen Means, Nathan Baird and Andrew Gillis discuss that plus OSU solidifying its offensive line plus a few starters on defense. Then they get into a conversation about the jack and how much — or how little — Jim Knowles plans to use it this year. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It’s another Mark It Down Monday, and as the 2023 college football season draws near, it’s time for Stephen Means and Nathan Baird to check in with some major predictions. In this episode, it’s the Heisman Trophy and Ohio State's recent history of finalists at quarterback. The last three starting quarterbacks have all made their way to New York at least once, but none have ever left with the trophy. Can that change this season regardless of who wins the quarterback battle between Kyle McCord and Devin Brown, or will that streak finally end? They each provide who they think will be the top three for the award, which includes one former OSU quarterback whose career in Columbus was limited to six months and two snaps. Then they reveal who they think will walk away with the award. Thanks for listening to another Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Larry Johnson has had some impressive rooms during his time as Ohio State's defensive line coach and many of those rooms were headlined by Joey Bosa, Nick Bosa or Chase Young. He's four years removed from having any of those players at his disposal and that's shown up in the room's production. But that may be on the verge of changing in 2023 but not because it has one superstar. Johnson's room is filled with potential stars who all may be ready to finally put it all together. Will that depth mean the return of elite defensive play in Columbus? Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Thursday Buckeye Talk, the discussion is all about the tight ends as Keenan Bailey enters his first season as a full-time assistant coach for Ohio State. Bailey pointed out that Cade Stover played 58 snaps per game last season (709 total) which is entirely too much in an offense that relies heavily on its tight ends. Stover returns as the proven commodity, but have a healthy Joe Royer and Gee Scott Jr. proven ready to help the fifth-year senior carry some of the load? Stephen Means, Nathan Baird and Andrew Gillis discuss that, plus a random conversation about chain pizza restaurants and Stover's growing list of farmer euphemisms. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Wednesday Buckeye Talk, Stephen Means, Nathan Baird and Andrew Gillis are talking offensive line after meeting with seven Ohio State offensive linemen and Buckeyes' offensive line coach Justin Frye on Tuesday. The topics on this episode include: OSU's tackle competitions and whether Josh Simmons and Josh Fryar have already locked up the starting jobs Can Tegra Tshabola and Luke Montgomery set themselves up to be Ohio State's future The ongoing competition between Carson Hinzman and Vic Cutler to be the Buckeyes' next starting center. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ryan Day provided an update on how Ohio State's first scrimmage of fall camp went as it continues to prepare for the 2023 season. No one expected him to name a starting quarterback, but there was a thought that he’d potentially reveal who may be starting to separate. Instead, he talked about what would need to happen for him to do so as Stephen Means, Nathan Baird and Andrew Gillis react. Among the things the trio discussed on this Tuesday Buckeye Talk: Neither Kyle McCord or Devin Brown have started separating n the quarterback battle, but should that be a reason for panic? Day emphatic champions Treveyon Henderson as the former five-star running back enters his third season. Day isn’t ready to name starters yet, but has OSU already found its best five on the offensive line Where are the Buckeyes in the preseason Associated Press Poll and where would the BUckeye Talk crew have voted them? Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this almost two-hour-long Buckeye Talk Stephen Means, Nathan Baird and Andrew Gillis make some interesting stat predictions for Ohio State's 2023 season. Here are the stat topics the trio discussed: Defensive tackles playing the most snaps How many yards per play will the defense give up TreVeyon Henderson's rushing yards Miyan Williams' rushing attempts How many carries will Dallan have Emeka Egbuka's receiving yards Julian Fleming's catches Who will be fourth among receivers in catches Cade Stover receptions The passing yards and touchdowns of the eventual winner of the starting quarterback battle between Kyle McCord and Devin Brown How many yards per play will the offensive average Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Friday episode of Buckeye Talk, Stephen Means, Nathan Baird and Andrew Gillis discuss the 2023 Ohio State roster by deciding which positions they think are championship caliber. But first, they detail the second full practice they were able to watch, though the 12-period session was much shorter than normal as the Buckeyes prepare for their first scrimmage of fall camp on Saturday. Then the debate begins breaking down the defensive line, offensive line, linebackers, running backs, wide receivers, cornerbacks, quarterbacks and tight ends. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Gene Smith is retiring and it could mean everything to the Ohio State football program. Smith has spent almost 20 years as OSU's Athletic Director becoming one of the more influential people in college sports in the process. He arrived in 2005 while Jim Tressel was head coach, placed Luke Fickell in charge in 2011 following 'Tattoo Gate', brought in Urban Meyer resulting in a national title in 2014 then found Meyer's successor in Ryan Day who's headed the program since 2019. On this Thursday episode, Stephen Means, Nathan Baird and Andrew Gillis discuss Smith's decision and what it means for the future of the Ohio State football program in a national landscape that seems to be changing by the year. Plus an update from Ryan Day as OSU heads into its first scrimmage of fall camp on Saturday. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Wednesday Buckeye Talk, Stephen Means, Nathan Baird and Andrew Gillis discuss their interviews Tuesday with safeties coach Perry Eliano and several Ohio State safeties. Covered in this episode: Have the Buckeyes already found its top three safeties? Why the 2023 safety room can be better than the 2022 room Can Sonny Styles contend for the title of being OSU’s best defensive player? Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Stephen Means, Nathan Baird and Andrew Gillis talked with Ohio State's running backs on Saturday as Tony Alford discussed what might be his deepest room since he joined the staff in 2015. It also meant talking with Dallan Hayden, TreVeyon Henderson, Evan Pryor and Miyan Williams. Covered in this episode; How does Evan Pryor fit into the equation after missing all of 2022 with an injury? Has Dallan Hayden already claimed the role of RB3 and can he build on a quality freshman year? Will Chip Trayanum's role extend past special teams? What more can Miyan Williams show us this season? Can TreVeyon Henderson complete the J.K. Dobbins arc with an All-American-level junior season? Then the trio have a short convo on the vibe around Ohio State's recruiting after losing the battle for five-star safety K.J. Bolden to Florida State Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's a Mark It Down Monday on Buckeye Talk, and this one deals with Ohio State's season-opener against Indiana on Sept. 2. Stephen Means, Nathan Baird and Andrew Gillis mark down start for the Buckeyes on both sides of the ball in that game. It's a way for the trio to talk about the Ohio State position battles while also putting them on the spot for a prediction: Name the 11 players who will take the first snap on offense and the 11 who will take the first snap on defense. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Big Ten might be on the verge of expanding...again.A year after the announcement that USC and UCLA would be leaving the Pac-12 for the Big Ten, reports have now come out that they may be bringing others. In this emergency Friday pod, Stephen Means, Nathan Baird and Andrew Gillis discuss the potential additions of Oregon and Washington to the Big Ten. Then three trio discuss the only important topic in this potential 18-team Big Ten: Does it actually matter to the Ohio State football program? Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ohio State went through its first day of fall camp practice and the media was able to watch all of it. Right after Jim Knowles and the rest of the linebackers spoke with a much healthier group than they had in the spring. That means there’s a lot to talk about. Among the things Stephen Means, Nathan Baird and Andrew Gillis discussed: Does Kyle McCord already have the edge over Devin Brown in the quarterback battle? What’s the word on the starting offensive line? Jim Knowles names the Buckeyes’ starting cornerbacks There’s a second-year safety who may be ready to breakout A captain on defense that’s changing positions Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The time has come once again on Buckeye Talk to drive the bus as Ohio State prepares for the 2023 season. Stephen Means, Nathan Baird, Andrew Gillis and the texters offer up the Ohio State football players they believe in the most for the 2022 season. But before getting into that, Stephen and Nathan provide updates from Ryan Day and the quarterbacks as they preview fall camp. Then the fun begins as the guys claim their buses and find out if their thought process aligned with the texters Thanks, as always, for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ohio State will open up fall camp on Thursday as it starts preparation for the 2023 season. Jim Knowles enters his second year as defensive coordinator and brings back with him a ton of experience why also adding a few key pieces in the transfer portal. Stephen Means and Nathan Baird discuss OSU’s defense and some things they’re interested to find out. As part of the discussion: Will C.J. Hicks push for time with the starting linebackers? How will the defensive line rotation play out? Will Sonny Styles claim a starting safety role and who else will start alongside Lathan Ransom? Is this the most depth Ohio State’s had at cornerback in the Ryan Day era? Will the Jack finally make its proper debut thanks to a healthy Mitchell Melton? Thanks, as always, for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ohio State will open up fall camp on Thursday as it starts preparation for the 2023 season. While quarterback is the most interesting topic for the Buckeyes on offense as they replace C.J. Stroud, it’s not the other player where there are questions. Stephen Means and Nathan Baird discuss OSU’s offense and some things they’re interested to find out about. As part of the discussion: Things start with a discussion about what’s happening on the recruiting trail where the Buckeyes spent the past five days getting both good and bad news across multiple classes. What will the offensive line look like on Day 1 and how will it evolve over the next month? Cade Stover is the starting tight end. But in a room with six scholarship players is there legitimate depth behind him? Brian Hartline returns all three starting wide receivers while a battle carries on behind them. Can anyone start making headway to be a starter in 2024? With five talented options, how will Tony Alford handle things in the running back room? Thanks, as always, for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's another Mark it Down Monday as Stephen Means, Nathan Baird and Andrew Gillis discuss who they think will be the next Ohio State players to earn trees in Buckeye Grove as first-team All-Americans. As part of the discuss the three talk: Can Marvin Harrison Jr. repeat as a unanimous selection and if so, can another wide receiver potentially join him in Buckeye Grove? Will a defensive player earn the honor after no having a single player do so for the past three seasons? OSU has constantly had elite quarterback play, but had one earn a tree since 2006. Does that drought end in 2023? How many first-team All-Americans will Ohio State have and which side of the ball will have more? Thanks, as always, for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Friday Buckeye Talk, Stephen Means, Nathan Baird and Andrew Gillis wrap up the 2023 Big Ten Media Days in Indianapolis while also answering a few questions from our texters Here’s what’s discussed: Can Luke Montgomery push for a significant role on the offensive line as a true freshman? And the overall status of the offensive line. Is Sonny Styles ready to claim a starting spot? Will Kenyatta build on a quality spring on his way to carving out a role on the defensive line? And the overall status of the defensive line. How will Ohio State handle a deep running back room? What will be the most ‘exciting’ and ‘boring’ games on the Buckeyes’ schedule? Which player and/or position group will surprise people this season? Thanks, as always, for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Wednesday Buckeye Talk, Stephen Means, Nathan Baird and Andrew Gillis are reporting from the second day of Big Ten Media Days in Indianapolis. Here’s what’s discussed: How would the Big Ten refs have handled Marvin Harrison Jr.’s non-targeting call in the Sugar Bowl? Jim Harbaugh and the Wolverines speak as the reigning Big Ten champion while Luke Fickell makes his official media day debut as Wisconsin’s head coach Can Fickell make the Badgers a bigger threat to Ohio State's title hopes than the Wolverines? Thanks, as always, for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Wednesday Buckeye Talk, Stephen Means, Nathan Baird and Andrew Gillis are reporting from Big Ten media days in Indianapolis. Here’s what’s discussed: What’s the status of the quarterback battle between Devin Brown and Kyle McCord? Marvin Harrison Jr., Cade Stover and J.T. Tuimoloau serve as team representatives. What did each have to say about the upcoming season? Ryan Day isn’t against moving the Ohio State-Michigan game once the 12-team playoff arrives. Does he have a point? Thanks, as always, for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Once again the Big Ten refuses to put out actual preseason awards or season predictions. So for the 13th straight year, Cleveland.com takes on the responsibility with the annual Preseason Big Ten Poll. With that poll released, here’s what Stephen Means, Nathan Baird and newcomer Andrew Gillis discuss: This is a poll that Ohio State has often dominated as the standard of the conference, but is that starting to change? Marvin Harrison Jr. is clearly the Big Ten’s best offensive player, but is he best positioned to win the postseason award that goes along with the status? Who will win Defensive Player of the Year in a season loaded with options? Which team has the toughest road environment? Thanks, as always, for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Welcome to our first podcast with the new crew of Nathan, Stephen and Andrew Gillis. We start things off with a discussion of Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa's commitment to Notre Dame. He had been the first player Ohio State offered in the 2024 class, and until recently, he was considered a Buckeye lean. What does his decision mean for what OSU will do at linebacker now with two commitments already at the position? Also, what does his commitment mean in the ongoing recruiting battle with Notre Dame? Then we get into our Buckeye Talk Subtext subscriber questions about the future of our podcast. Among the topics discussed: • What, if anything, will change? • Will the pods be shorter now? • Who will do impressions of players and coaches around the country? • What are Andrew's hot food takes? • Is Andrew any good at picking games? • Our reaction to OSU selling tickets to practices for NIL income • What do we think of the alternate uniforms for the Michigan State game? That and more as the season draws closer to its start and we embark on a new beginning. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Friday Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com, a torch is passed. This is the final Buckeye Talk episode for Doug Lesmerises as a cleveland.com employee (maybe he'll be allowed back as a guest one day) and the first Buckeye Talk for a new addition to cleveland.com's coverage of Ohio State and this podcast. How this ep goes down: (0:30) Thoughts about covering Ohio State (8:12) Introduction of the newest member of Buckeye Talk (you must listen to meet him!) (15:29) What Joe Burrow is like in the NFL (22:55) Balancing OSU coverage (25:31) What will AI mean for the future of sports coverage? (This is the robot part) (29:53) The role of Buckeye Talk in cleveland.com's OSU coverage (49:12) The future of Buckeye Talk (1:12:44) A final goodbye Thanks, as always, for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Can the Ohio State Buckeyes win the national this season? On this Thursday Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com, Doug Lesmerises and Nathan Baird dive into that question. The idea isn't necessarily to answer it, though there are some playoff and national title picks at the end of the pod. But the idea is to run through the real hurdles that Ohio State would have to overcome to win it all. And are those hurdles inside the program or outside it? (0:30) First comes a look at Ohio State from 2019 to 2022 and what it was that kept the Buckeyes from winning it all those seasons (23:46) Then it's a look into this year, with text subscribers chiming in about the chances of a title compared to last season (1:06:07) Then Doug runs through recent history and what obstacles stopped the Buckeyes when they didn't win titles between 2005 and 2018 (1:13:20) Finally, it's time for some picks about this season. This is Doug's penultimate Buckeye Talk, which is why it was time to talk national title right now. Thanks as always for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This Wednesday Buckeye Talk episode begins with an announcement and then continues with nearly three hours of appreciation. Doug Lesmerises is leaving cleveland.com and Buckeye Talk. The pod will continue with Nathan Baird and Stephen Means and a potential addition, and you'll find Doug somewhere else out there in podcast land pursuing a chance he couldn't turn down. Doug will be on two more episodes on Thursday and Friday, but on this episode he answers more than 40 questions from text subscribers about his favorite Ohio State games, players, coaches and memories, and his favorite episodes and aspects of Buckeye Talk. This went super long, but there was a lot to remember, and a lot for Doug to be grateful about. This podcast audience has been the highlight of his career, and he wouldn't be where he is without these listeners. So strap in for lots of memories ... or skip this one and look forward to next week and the new future of Buckeye Talk. Thanks for making Buckeye Talk part of your Ohio State fandom. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Tuesday Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com, Doug Lesmerises is joined by Phil Steele -- from Phil Steele's College Football Preview -- to talk about the 2023 college football season. Among the subjects covered: Why the Big Ten has four of the five best running back rooms in the country Comparing Ohio State's receivers to everyone else Michigan's offensive line Penn State's defense Wisconsin as a surprise team How Western Kentucky and Notre Dame might fare against the Buckeyes Are Ohio State, Michigan and Penn State three of the five best teams in the country? Plus condolences at the end of the pod to Ohio State freshman receiver Carnell Tate on the death of his mother, Ashley. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Monday Madness from Buckeye Talk, Doug Lesmerises and Nathan Baird are talking preseason polls and Whatcha Watchin', Whatcha Eating', Whatcha Thinkin'? First, (0:30) they dive into Ohio State's history in the Associated Press preseason poll. How are the Buckeyes viewed with a returning QB vs. when they have a new QB? And what does that mean for the 2023 Buckeyes, who will have a new starting quarterback? Doug and Nathan predict where they will, and should be, ranked. Then (21:41) it's a look at the bigger picture and who should be and will be No. 1 in the preseason poll. Where will Michigan be ranked compared to Ohio State? And in the cleveland.com preseason Big Ten poll that will drop next week, which team is the likely favorite? Finally (42:31) it's talk about watching, eating and thinking. That includes a boring movie and an exciting TV show; Pizza Hut in Paris; and whether being a tourist is a good or bad thing, and how you should handle an unsatisfactory meal in a restaurant. Football and nonsense ... thanks for listening to another Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Friday Buckeye Talk, Nathan Baird and Doug Lesmerises are playing off the Thursday episode that dug into the 1998 Ohio State-Michigan State game. Was that the most devastating loss in Ohio State history? The one game that fans would want to reverse the outcome of? Or would it be another game, maybe a loss by a great OSU team with national title hopes to an opponent like Michigan, Clemson, Florida, Georgia, Alabama, USC or another team? Doug made a top-10 list of the results he thinks the Buckeyes would most want to change, and Nathan gathered an array of answers from text subscribers to come up with their list of the most popular games to undo. It makes for an interesting look at the long, successful history of Ohio State by examining how many times a single loss in a season kept them from a title. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's another edition of Buckeye ReTalkables on Buckeye Talk as Doug Lesmerises and Nathan Baird look back on and discuss Ohio State's 28-24 loss to Michigan State in 1998 season. The Buckeyes were No. 1 coming into this game in this first year of the BCS, and this upset in Ohio Stadium was the only loss of the year for this John Cooper team. Michigan State was an average team coming in, but was coached by legend in the making Nick Saban, and the Spartans had future high first-round picks on both sides of the ball. Ohio State featured five future first-round picks on defense and a high-powered passing offense that makes for some interesting comparisons to the 2023 Ohio State offense, from Joe Germaine at quarterback to Michael Wiley at running back to David Boston at receiver. This is a painful rewatch and discussion for Ohio State fans, but there's a lot of interesting college football history to discuss and maybe some lessons to be learned. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's finally the traffic podcast you've been promised on this Wednesday Buckeye Talk, as Doug Lesmerises is joined by Ohio State professor Dr. Benjamin Coifman. Dr. Coifman is a traffic expert who studies traffic flow and driver dynamics, among other things, and he's here to talk about all the things that drive you nuts on the road and the way we maybe can all be a bit better out there. The topics: (0:30) How people think they drive compared to other people (9:05) Ohio State traffic on gameday and how the school handles it (16:28) Leaving gaps at a traffic light (23:06) Roundabouts (28:24) Etiquette when merging in construction (36:22) When traffic appears for no reason (42:32) What individual drivers can do to help traffic (48:15) The future of autonomous vehicles We like the occasional off-topic offseason pod, and thanks as always for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Pat Fitzgerald was fired as the head coach of the Northwestern Wildcats on Monday, and though this is Buckeye Talk and a podcast about Ohio State, that kind of Big Ten news merits a discussion. And there are Ohio State lessons involved with this from how the Buckeyes handled Jim Tressel and Urban Meyer in the past. Doug Lesmerises and Nathan Baird discuss this mess from several angles: (0:30) Reaction to the Fitzgerald firing (10:05) How would Ohio State have handled this situation? (22:06) The constant balance around the power of a football coach (42:29) Where will the Northwestern football program go from here? (50:00) A final wrap from Doug, including Fitzgerald's statement Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ohio State linebacker Tommy Eichenberg ranked second in the Big Ten in tackles last season while earning second-team All-American. He's back, so will he lead the Buckeyes in tackles again? On this Mark It Down Monday on Buckeye Talk, Doug Lesmerises, Nathan Baird and Stephen Means talk about Eichenberg's potential place in Ohio State history, and then make their predictions on a tackle leader for this season. (0:30) The player Eichenberg has been, and could be in 2023 (22:58) Other candidates to lead the Buckeyes in tackles (33:26) Marking down predictions for Ohio State's tackle leader and how many he'll have Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Friday Buckeye Talk, Doug Lesmerises and Stephen Means are hitting several topics on the Ohio State Buckeyes: (0:52) The addition of cornerback recruit Miles Lockhart (13:55) Would the Buckeyes rather win the national title in 2023 or 2024? (30:28) Which Buckeye would the guys most and least want to box? (39:29) If and when schools can hire more assistant coaches, what will the Buckeyes do? (1:00:03) What's on a player and what's on a program when it comes to development? (1:15:08) With an increase in playoff games, what will happen to old records? Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What are the greatest threats to the continued high-level success of Ohio State football? What are the internal issues that could trip up the Buckeyes? What Big Ten competition could make the future more difficult? How about changes on the evolving national college football landscape? On this Thursday Buckeye Talk, off a great suggestion from an Ohio State text subscriber, Doug Lesmerises and Stephen Means rank their 10 greatest threats to Ohio State football over the next five to 10 years. And when it comes to those threats, how real are they? Doug and Stephen also discuss if they really believe there are multiple things that could shake the Buckeyes from their perch near the top of college football. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Justin Scott committed to Ohio State on Sunday, and Marquise Lightfoot picked Miami over the Buckeyes on Monday. It was two major defensive decisions as the Buckeyes try to get back to their old standard of recruiting on the defensive side of the ball. On this Tuesday Buckeye Talk (Happy 4th) Doug Lesmerises and Stephen Means break down the state of talent acquisition on defense. That starts with a long look at the decision of top-20 player and 310-pound defensive tackle Scott to choose the Buckeyes. Then it's onto edge rusher Lightfoot picking the Hurricanes over Ohio State. In that are long debates about the recruiting of defensive line coach Larry Johnson; of what the Buckeyes have done lately in the Chicago area (where both Scott and Lightfoot are from); and about the last time Ohio State landed a player like Scott. The last part of the episode then focuses on comparing Ohio State defensive recruiting in 2024 to previous OSU defensive classes. And it outlines the major defensive targets still on the board for the Buckeyes, when they are scheduled to commit, and who the Buckeyes are recruiting against. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Mark It Down Monday, the statistical prediction is a little more complicated. Doug Lesmerises, Nathan Baird and Stephen Means aren't looking at an individual stat -- they are marking down what percent of plays for the 2023 Ohio State Buckeyes will be pass plays, and how many will be run plays. To do that, they look at run-pass OSU percentages of the recent past; they compare the OSU passing game to other successful throwing teams like Washington and Tennessee; and they wonder how much Brian Hartline calling plays, the presence of a quarterback competition and other factors will affect the run-pass balance. And then they mark it down. Thanks as always for listening to Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this weekend Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com, Doug Lesmerises is talking about the new national focus for Michigan, which has reportedly instituted a Beat Georgia practice period. Doug theorizes (0:30) that means Ohio State is 20 years ahead of Michigan in being a national program. Then he (11:35) compares the top-10 wins in the histories of the two programs and what that tells us about their national ambitions and success. Finally (24:16) it's what a bit of a Georgia focus by the Wolverines would mean for the Ohio State-Michigan game. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Weird that it's this short, eh? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What is the single most dominant aspect of Ohio State's offense? On this Thursday Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com, Doug Lesmerises, Nathan Baird and Stephen Means give their answer to that question from an Ohio State text subscriber. Doug is back from vacation (0:30) and ready to jabber, and that means everyone needs to be ready to give and defend their answers. First Nathan (3:13), then Stephen (21:02), then Doug (48:38). Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ohio State and Michigan have played only one overtime game -- the 2016 classic that sent the Buckeyes to the playoff. Could they be destined for their second such outcome in The Game in Ann Arbor on Nov. 25? Tyler Shoemaker, Buckeye Talk's resident oddsmaker, joins the show to discuss his preseason power rankings. That includes a razor-thin margin for the regular-season finale at the Big House. Tyler also discusses why Ohio State's offense remains so highly ranked despite many preseason questions, why the Buckeye defense is expected to be better and what his numbers say about the rest of the Big Ten Conference. While Tyler's numbers are meant to be compared to betting lines, what do they tell us about what we expect from the Buckeyes for reasons beyond the cold, hard numbers? Discussion topics include: • (1:30) Tyler explains the TSI and how he tweaked his system for 2023. • (6:00) What the TSI predicts for Ohio State • (7:45) Why the OSU-Michigan rankings caused Tyler to double-check his numbers • (9:00) Why Tyler's numbers still predict OSU to have the nation's best offense despite new QB, offensive line questions, etc. • (17:15) What TSI predicts for Ohio State's defense, and why • (23:30) How TSI accounts for teams like Michigan that outperform their recruiting rankings • (28:00) What TSI predicts for The Game against Michigan • (36:30) How Ohio State's strength of schedule affects its win-loss prediction • (43:00) How a Drew Allar breakout would affect Penn State relative to its expectations and other predictions around the Big Ten Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

With two more commitments from last weekend's batch of official visits, Ohio State now has 16 for its 2024 recruiting class. How large will that class grow -- and more importantly, who will be in it? Stephen Means gives Nathan Baird his predictions for what could be one of the highest-rated Buckeye classes in recent history. • (2:00) Did Ohio State need commitments last weekend to build momentum into the summer? • (4:00) Is the Glenville pipeline to OSU "reopened" or was it simply not flowing for a while? • (8:30) How crucial is the Bryce West commitment, and where is his long-term fit in this secondary? • (11:00) Does OSU also need a commitment from Aaron Scott to call cornerback recruiting a win for this cycle? • (12:30) Does landing West help OSU also get a commitment from Scott? • (14:30) What is the best comparable for Demarion Witten as an OSU tight end? • (16:00) Why did Ohio State need a two tight-end class for 2024? • (17:45) Discussing Buckeye Talk Subtext subscriber survey results on offensive and defensive recruiting. • (25:30) Who is the class' most important commitment so far? • (26:30) What is the biggest recruiting "win" so far for this class? • (29:20): Must underrated commitment to this point? • (31:00) Toughest battle ahead to hold on to an existing commit? • (32:15) Biggest positional need still unfilled? • (36:45) How large will this class be, and why will OSU take that many? • (38:15) Why does Stephen think the Buckeyes will get both KJ Bolden and Eddrick Houston from Buford, Georgia? • (43:00) What are the fall-back options at safety if Bolden is unavailable? • (46:30) Is edge rusher the biggest remaining need for this class and who will fill it? • (50:00) Why is this trending to be a linebacker-heavy class? • (52:20) Does OSU need two highly ranked offensive tackles in this class? • (55:30) Predicting the final pieces of the class. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jack Sawyer and Mike Hall Jr. tied for the Ohio State team lead in sacks last season with 4.5. The year before, Haskell Garrett led the team with 5.5. In the last full season before that, Chase Young led the Buckeyes with 16.5. That's quite a drop off. So who will lead the Buckeyes in sacks in 2023, and how many will they have? Doug Lesmerises, Nathan Baird and Stephen Means make their predictions on the latest Mark It Down Monday on Buckeye Talk. (0:30) Does Ohio State need more sacks as a team to succeed? (16:44) Discussing the candidates to lead the Buckeyes in sacks (40:40) Marking down sack predictions for 2023 Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's time for another Buckeye Retalkables, and up on this episode of Buckeye Talk is Ohio State vs. Michigan from 2016, as the No. 2 Buckeyes hosted the No. 3 Wolverines. This was Jim Harbaugh's second year as a head coach in the rivalry and the Wolverines, with a veteran team, had a real chance coming into Columbus. The Buckeyes prevailed 30-27 in double overtime thanks to Curtis Samuel, and in victory Urban Meyer considered this a legendary win for the Buckeyes. More than six years removed, what do Doug Lesmerises, Nathan Baird and Stephen Means think now? There are all the usual ReTalkables categories, but this episode is really about two major revelations. Plus, there's some good Nick Bosa talk. Thanks for listening to another ReTalkables on Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ohio State's summer camps wrapped up with a big commitment Wednesday. Bellefontaine's Tavien St. Clair completed his rise to the top of the Buckeyes' 2025 quarterback board. Stephen Means reports on how this commitment came together, what kind of player St. Clair is and how he fits in with the program's long-term quarterback project. Stephen and Nathan also discussed former OSU 2024 quarterback commit Dylan Raiola's transfer from Pinnacle High School in Phoenix, Arizona, to Buford, Georgia. Not only is that the back yard of his future college program, Georgia, but it is the high school of two major OSU targets in the 2024 class. Where does the Buckeyes' pursuit of safety KJ Bolden and defensive end Eddrick Houston stand? Finally, Stephen looks ahead to another round of official visits -- particularly a huge weekend for OSU's battle for two cornerbacks. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Podcasting and text surveys shouldn't feel like homework, but for this edition of Buckeye Talk, they sort of did. So instead of only looking at the past, Doug Lesmerises and Nathan Baird are also predicting the future of Ohio State in the NFL Draft. The last section of this episode is the top 16 picks in the Ultimate Ohio State Draft from the text subscribers. Where are they similar and different to what Doug, Nathan and Stephen did on their two episodes of the Ultimate Draft? But the first two parts of the pod look at when Ohio State will get to 100 first-round picks. The Buckeyes currently lead all colleges with 90 first-rounders. When will No. 100 come -- in 2026? 2027? And which Buckeye could be that No. 100? Doug also has an idea for holding the NFL Draft in Columbus, and the guys look at whether 10 first-rounders in three years would be a stretch or in line with OSU draft history. And then no more Ultimate Draft talk after this. For now, thanks for indulging in this exercise and thanks as always for listening to Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Which Ohio State receiver is the best NFL Draft prospect ever at that position? That's one of the debates and discussions on Part 2 of The Ultimate Ohio State Draft of NFL draft prospects conducted by Doug Lesmerises, Nathan Baird and Stephen Means. Don't miss Part 1, in which Doug, Nathan and Stephen made Picks 1-16 on a previous Buckeye Talk episode. This episode is the continuation of that, and there are still plenty of all-time Buckeyes to come off the board, including Garrett Wilson, Eddie George, A.J. Hawk, David Boston and more. The rules are that the real 90 Buckeyes who have been drafted in the first round in NFL Draft history are eligible to be picked. The guys then act like current NFL GMs and draft for the modern day based on the skills and draft places of Buckeyes across the decades. Major Buckeyes like C.J. Stroud, Orlando Pace and Nick Bosa came off the board in the previous episode. Now it's time for the second half of this all-time first round, and that means the first receiver will be drafted. Is it Boston? Wilson? Olave? Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Who is the greatest Ohio State draft prospect ever? How do the best Buckeyes compare to each other in how they were viewed by the NFL coming out of college? On this Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com, Doug Lesmerises, Nathan Baird and Stephen Means try to answer those questions with The Ultimate Ohio State Draft. This is the first of two parts as the guys make picks 1 through 16 from the 90 Ohio State Buckeyes who were actual first-round NFL choices. Where will quarterbacks like C.J. Stroud and Justin Fields go in this Buckeye-only draft? Who is the first cornerback off the board? Where do the Bosa brothers fit in with Chase Young and other OSU defensive stars? How about all the great OSU offensive tackles, including Orlando Pace? This is the difficult idea of drafting these Buckeyes as NFL prospects -- not based on how good or accomplished they were in college, or how much they succeeded in the NFL, but on how the pros viewed them at the time they were leaving Columbus. Only those first-round players were eligible for this ultimate draft. Part 2 will follow soon, but for now, enjoy this start of The Ultimate Ohio State draft from Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Air Noland and Dylan Raiola will forever be linked as Ohio State's quarterback commits in the 2024 class. They went head-to-head this week at the Elite 11 showcase, where Noland showed where he stands next to now-Georgia commit Raiola and the rest of the best. Back home, in-state Class of 2025 quarterbacks Tavien St. Clair and Ryan Montgomery worked out for Corey Dennis and Ryan Day prior to one of OSU's summer camps. Both will be back on campus next week. Has St. Clair's physical development over the past year made him the likely front-runner to be the Buckeyes' QB in that class? Finally, an update on in-state cornerbacks Bryce West and Aaron Scott, who are also both scheduled to camp with the Buckeyes next week. How big of a threat is Michigan to OSU pulling off a sweep of these top-100 prospects? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Are the expectations for Ohio State football creating a burden that fans feel, and that affects their enjoyment of their very successful program? On this Thursday Buckeye Talk, Doug Lesmerises once again dives into talk about his joy initiative and the hope that all OSU fans can love following their team. Some texters are sick of this topic already, and maybe so are you. But there are some interesting survey answers in this episode to questions like: Does the burden of expectations make rooting for the Buckeyes less fun at all? Have you ever thought you cared too much about Ohio State football? What is the best type of team to root for? Is Ohio State the most successful team you root for? Do you root for a second college football team? On a scale of 1-10, what's your joy vs. angst when it comes to rooting for the Buckeyes? There are comparisons made to the best teams in North American sports, and strong words on both sides when it comes to how OSU fans should view and handle expectations. It's a feelings pod more than a football pod, which sometimes happens here. As always, thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Wednesday Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com, Doug Lesmerises and Nathan Baird react to some recent texter questions and comments around the topics percolating on Buckeye Talk. The discussion points: (0:30) How should the Buckeyes gather talent for this Jim Knowles version of defense and what can be learned from the players at Oklahoma State? (37:19) More on the TV package for the Big Ten and the outcome for OSU fans (43:32) Why Marvin Harrison Jr. could take a statistical step back (48:02) The type of head coach, from a media perspective, the guys would want to cover (59:05) More discussion of Mike Vrabel and Marcus Freeman as possible future OSU head coaches Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's news and analysis from two days of Ohio State recruiting camps on this Tuesday episode of Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com. The Buckeyes hosted camps last Thursday and on Monday, and Stephen Means was there. He talks with Doug Lesmerises about: (1:40) The 2024 commit the Buckeyes landed Monday from Jaylen McClain (7:20) The defensive 5-stars Ohio State is targeting in this class (11:10) OSU vs. Georgia recruiting battles (14:05) 5-star linebacker Sammy Brown choosing Clemson (17:30) Ohio State's ranking in the 2024 class (19:00) How many more commits OSU should get this month (20:02) The remaining recruiting camp schedule (21:00) The official visitors at Ohio State (22:14) The 5-stars in Columbus on Monday (27:30) The opponents making it harder for OSU in recruiting (38:02) The big target for OSU OL coach Justin Frye (39:52) Young WR Chris Henry Jr. visits again (45:00) Previewing OSU pledge Ari Noland at the Elite 11 camp Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com. Expect a couple more camp update episodes over the next week. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Monday Buckeye Talk, it's a deep dive into Ohio State head coach Ryan Day with Doug Lesmerises and Nathan Baird. With the help of a survey of Ohio State text subscribers, Doug and Nathan look at the evolution of Day as a head coach and discuss what might be different, better or worse for the OSU boss as he enters his fifth season. The first four years included three playoff appearances and a 1-2 record against Michigan, so how much do OSU fans believe in Day right now? And how much has he changed after his hiring for the 2019 season with no previous full-time head coach experience? The topics covered include: Ohio State's decision to hire Day as a rookie head coach Comparing Day and Lincoln Riley Day's changes for the Michigan game and what he felt he did wrong last year The plan to hand over play calling to Brian Hartline Overall faith in Day Faith in Day against Michigan A comparison for his final evolution as a head coach And more. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Big Ten released its football opponents for 2024 and 2025 in the new 16-team conference with no divisions. For Ohio State, it’s a new world of games, with teams like Penn State, Michigan State and Rutgers on the schedule less frequently, teams like Northwestern, Illinois and Iowa on the schedule more frequently, and USC and UCLA joining the ranks as new conference opponents. Over the 24 regular-season games in 2024 and 2025 that had been scheduled for the Buckeyes previously, eight opponents have changed. That includes the Buckeyes no longer playing Penn State every season. Is this better for Ohio State fans? Worse? Just different? Doug Lesmerises and Nathan Baird break all that down on the latest Buckeye Talk. Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's time for more Ohio State rants on this Thursday Buckeye Talk, as Doug Lesmerises responds to the strong words of Ohio State text subscribers. The topics, in order: The future of freshman QB Lincoln Keinholz and the history of quarterbacks recruited by the Buckeyes How Michigan should be covered on Buckeye Talk Why Josh Simmons should start at right tackle Home-field advantage at Ohio Stadium Fat is flavor Is Notre Dame trolling the Big Ten? Mobile apps are annoying Stop talking about Big Ten money Thanks as always to the texters for their rants and thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Last season was a low point for the Ohio State basketball program as the Buckeyes finished 13th in the Big Ten. Will this season's team benefit from the growing pains of a year ago? On this Wednesday Buckeye Talk, Doug Lesmerises and Stephen Means reset an Ohio State program that should have a rotation this season of three sophomores, three freshmen, three transfers and a senior. Will that work? How much will the rest of the Big Ten stand in their way? Is there an opening for the Buckeyes to take a big jump? All of that is included in this hoops discussion. First (0:30) is a look at how the Buckeyes might fit in with the Big Ten considering what players other teams kept and lost. Then (6:46) it's a look at the three big-time returning sophomores, headlined by point guard Bruce Thornton. Then (19:08) it's a discussion of Brice Sensabaugh going to the NBA Draft. Then (24:50) the potential freshmen contributors and the transfers (28:17). Finally (46:04) what could the Buckeyes do better as program, (50:57) where does Chris Holtmann fit in among Big Ten coaches and how (56:30) should Holtmann's job status be viewed? Thanks for listening to this basketball Buckeye Talk. Next episode is back to football. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Tuesday Buckeye Talk, it's a load of Ohio State football questions in rapid fire and a little nonsense with Doug Lesmerises, Nathan Baird and Stephen Means. The topics: (0:30) Will a Big Ten with no divisions be good or bad? (27:35) Who's the next defensive line coach after Larry Johnson? (40:59) What's wrong with freshmen offensive linemen playing? (49:58) Eating food off the bone (56:11) Greg Studrawa's health in his last years at OSU and what the effect was (1:03:27) What to think of Jim Knowles' recruiting? (1:13:44) Will any schools ever get punished over NIL? (1:24:19) Eliminating hurdling over tacklers? (1:32:00) Angry Bama vs. Angry Doug Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jaxon Smith-Njigba set Ohio State's single-season receiving record with 1,606 yards in 2021. Will Marvin Harrison Jr. break that record in 2023? On this edition of Mark It Down Monday, where Doug Lesmerises, Nathan Baird and Stephen Means make specific predictions for Ohio State's football season, the subject is MHJ receiving yards. Last season he had 1,263 yards, the fourth-most in any Ohio State season. What will he do now? The guys discuss everything that will affect his stats: The quarterback play of Kyle McCord or Devin Brown What the Buckeyes want their offensive style and strategy to be The role of Emeka Egbuka, who had 1,151 receiving yards last season, and how that will affect Harrison's numbers How much defenses will try to take Harrison away How many times the Buckeyes targeted Harrison last season and if they'll do it more this season How many games Harrison should play this season, whether it be 12, 14 or 15 And then Doug, Nathan and Stephen Mark It Down -- predicting the Marv yards and whether he'll top JSN's mark. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

An Ohio State text subscriber asked Doug Lesmerises, Nathan Baird and Stephen Means this question; How should Ohio State (and by extension its fans) handle national championship expectations? That question created a lot more questions, and that created a lot of debate on this Friday episode of Buckeye Talk. Looking at Ohio State's history and Ohio State's current place in college football, Doug, Nathan and Stephen got into what fans should expect and how they should look at this recent run of Ohio State history, which in the last 52 seasons includes two national titles in 2002 and 2014. With the help of some interesting survey answers from Ohio State text subscribers, the guys dug deep on whether a national title is the standard of Ohio State success. This one got a little off the rails, which is nothing new, so thanks as always for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's time to talk Ohio State offensive assistants on this Thursday Buckeye Talk as Doug Lesmerises, Nathan Baird and Stephen Means discuss their conversations with staffers this week. That starts (0:30) with offensive line coach Justin Frye and what he's thinking about the offensive line, including his first chance to discuss the offensive tackle the Buckeyes added in the portal after spring football, Josh Simmons. Then it's onto (21:37) offensive coordinator and receivers coach Brian Hartline. That includes his few comments on the recent off-road vehicle accident that sent him to the hospital, plus the addition of his former NFL head coach, Joe Philbin, to the OSU staff. Finally (56:00), it's quarterbacks coach Corey Dennis and his comments on the QB battle, plus check-ins with tight ends coach Keenan Bailey, running backs coach Tony Alford and special teams coach Parker Fleming. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ohio State defensive coordinator Jim Knowles has adjusted his view on at least one aspect of the Buckeyes' defense, and that was among the topics discussed when OSU coaches met with reporters on Tuesday. On this Wednesday Buckeye Talk, Doug Lesmerises, Nathan Baird and Stephen Means debate everything they learned from the defensive coaches. The offensive coaches discussion will be on the Thursday pod. That starts with (0:30) Knowles, the defensive coordinator, changing his view on something about the players who could be on the field. That relates both to linebacker C.J. Hicks and to (23:16) the safeties. There's talk of defensive players added to the roster recently in Tywone Malone and Lorenzo Styles Jr. And (51:12) there's another explanation from Knowles about last year's defense that tells you something about this year's defense. That's where the 11 Tommy Eichenbergs come in. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Tuesday Buckeye Talk, an Ohio State text subscriber asked where Ohio State might turn if Ryan Day and the Buckeyes win the national title this season and Day is lured away to the NFL. Doug Lesmerises thinks the next OSU head coach would come from this list. And he offered these categories for candidates: Huge names you'd have to call OSU connections who might not have the experience ... yet Established coaches currently not working Current head coaches who are winning but without direct OSU ties Current head coaches with direct OSU ties Maybe there's a name in your head that Doug doesn't mention, but the hope is that this list covers the bases, because an AD always needs to be prepared. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's an Ohio State-Michigan recruiting discussion on this Buckeye Talk with Doug Lesmerises and Stephen Means. (0:30) An overview of where things stand in the 2024 class (4:12) Buckeyes vs. Wolverines with their future quarterbacks (15:19) How the teams landed their running backs in the 2024 class (29:26) A lot of the offensive line recruits know each other (36:32) Michigan recruiting efforts in Ohio (44:44) The Buckeyes still generally recruit better than Michigan in the rankings, but how big is the gap? Thanks for listening to another Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Thursday Buckeye Talk, Doug Lesmerises is back with Ohio State rants ranging from Kevin Warren to Jim Tressel. The topics: (0:30) How much did former Big Ten commissioner Kevin Warren confuse things with the new Big Ten TV deal and what does it mean for fans? (16:40) Doug was wrong about a 9-3 season in 2019 -- but could it happen this season? (26:48) Comparing this OSU offensive line to the 2014 offensive line (33:54) Jim Tressel as a title-winning play caller (44:09) Should Tressel dot the i against Youngstown State? (48:06) What could the ACC's future mean for the Big Ten? (53:28) Michigan making a hiring mistake Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Wednesday Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com, Doug Lesmerises, Nathan Baird and Stephen Means are talking Ohio State quarterbacks. Specifically, what should have fans concerned or confused about this OSU quarterback competition and where it stands, and what is an absolutely typical part of the process? Doug, Nathan and Stephen discuss the evolution of Kyle McCord, and how it compares to quarterback battles at places like Georgia and Alabama. And they look at some good teams with established quarterbacks, like Week 4 OSU foe Notre Dame, and ask if the Buckeyes should follow that plan, maybe with a transfer quarterback, or whether the way they are handling it is better for them with bigger upside. This isn't as much about quarterback play -- it's about quarterback feelings. And it was time to analyze how OSU fans might be viewing this. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In July 2021, with five-star defensive end J.T. Tuimoloau and five-star quarterback Quinn Ewers among the major recruits just committed to the Ohio State Buckeyes, Buckeye Talk considered the idea of 2023 Ohio State as a national title team. As a super team. As potentially one of the best teams in college football history. Now, with the start of the 2023 season just over three months away, an Ohio State text subscriber wanted to know if Doug Lesmerises, Nathan Baird and Stephen Means still thought that was possible. If not, what changed? If so, what kind of season could these Buckeyes? Over the last two years, the guys have referenced that 2023 super team pod a few times. On this Tuesday Buckeye Talk, they dug back into. The strength of that 2021 recruiting class, the players who are now preparing to be third-year Buckeyes, drove that conversation, and on this episode, Doug, Nathan and Stephen went back through all those recruits, how their careers have gone, and how the reality has compared to the initial perception. From quarterback to cornerback, from defensive end to running back, and of course at receiver, how on track are the Buckeyes from what they were projected to be? That’s the Tuesday Buckeye Talk. Thanks as always for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Monday Buckeye Talk, it's a deep look into how Ohio State football has done in big games in the four years under head coach Ryan Day. To analyze that, Doug Lesmerises, Nathan Baird and Stephen Means have to look at the evidence from a lot of different angles. What is a big game? How does Ohio State's big game record under Day compare to teams like Alabama, Georgia, Michigan, Clemson, Penn State and more? How does Day's record in big games compare to past OSU coaches like Urban Meyer, Jim Tressel, John Cooper and Woody Hayes? And there are four questions asked of text subscribers and discussed, looking at whether the Buckeyes have the necessary qualities to win games. Do they have enough: Elite talent Smart coaching Fundamentals Motivation This conversation plays off the Friday episode that relived the biggest win of the Day era -- the 2020 semifinal win over Clemson. So make sure you listen to that episode to pair with this one. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

With revenge on their minds for a year, the Ohio State Buckeyes knocked off Clemson 49-28 in a College Football Playoff semifinal in the COVID-plagued 2020 football season, and Doug Lesmerises, Nathan Baird and Stephen Means take you through it on the latest edition of Buckeye ReTalkables. This is the 16th episode of the ReTalkables on Buckeye Talk, as the guys relive the best games from Ohio State history with their categories that highlight great players, unsung heroes, game-changing plays and fun and odd moments from the game. This game, the biggest win over the four-year Ryan Day era, includes a career-making performance from quarterback Justin Fields. That means the discussion starts with two questions: Is this Ryan Day's perfect game? Is this the greatest single-game quarterback performance in Ohio State history? This is one for the history books, for reasons on the field and off, and that makes it a great return for the first ReTalkables episode in 11 months. Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This Thursday Buckeye Talk opens (0:30) with a long and hotly debated discussion about where Ohio State's line is for firing a coach, and how that may or may not change in the looming world of the 12-team College Football Playoff. Doug Lesmerises, Nathan Baird and Stephen Means discuss that for so long, there's no way this episode could be deemed a Rapid Fire. But they do take multiple interesting questions from Ohio State text subscibers. Following that first topic are discussions about: (43:23) What a Jim Harbaugh dream says about an OSU fan (50:10) Whether Ohio State will play sophomore safety Sonny Styles or not (57:07) The future of ESPN's College GameDay at Ohio State (1:10:48) Why Ohio State revenge worked on Clemson and not against Michigan Thanks as always for listening to Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's a deep dive into Ohio State recruiting strategy on this Wednesday Buckeye Talk as Doug Lesmerises, Nathan Baird and Stephen Means drop a two-hour episode for the first time in a while. There's a lot here, talking about the recruitments for players like Dylan Raiola, Quinn Ewers, Terrelle Pryor, Micah Parsons, Bronny James, Tate Martell and times where the Buckeyes did or didn't accept a certain amount of risk in a recruitment. First (0:30) is a discussion comparing how much risk the Buckeyes should take in football recruiting compared to basketball recruiting. Then it's on to five areas of potential risk in football recruiting and what Ohio State should do: Players with a degree of celebrity (23:31) Players who are focused on NIL (41:41) Players who are national five-stars with no OSU connections who might easily change their minds (1:02:20) Players with potential off-field issues (1;23:39) Players who might create NCAA issues (1:38:29) And last, a wrap up of fan thoughts and if the guys think Ohio State is handling risk correctly right now (1:46:55). Ohio State text subscribers were surveyed to judge how they feel about each area of risk, and Doug, Nathan and Stephen dug into each one. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's a mini version of Ohio State football rants on this Tuesday episode of Buckeye Talk as Doug Lesmerises runs through some thoughts from Ohio State text subscribers. First (0:30), Doug shares his own view on the Big Ten television plan for football games, now that some networks and game times have been announced for 2023. Then (15:24), it's more on the transfer of Ohio State receiver Kaleb Brown to Iowa and how OSU fans should view the Hawkeyes this season. A discussion about redshirting (25:15) and how it should be viewed then follows. Next (30:05) is more reflections and feedback on the Ohio State offensive line based on the podcast episode from a couple weeks ago. Finally (41:02) there's a brief follow on college sports betting as texters share their thoughts. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ohio State’s 2023 football schedule includes a handful of quarterbacks who can really throw the ball, one of the best edge rushers in the nation, a backfield combo to be reckoned with, and some head coaches and coordinators who will have some plans ready for the Buckeyes. They are among those on the list of the 10 Most Dangerous Opponents for Ohio State’s 2023 season on this Monday Buckeye Talk. Following two podcasts last week that laid out the 10 Most Important Buckeyes for 2023, as voted on by Doug Lesmerises, Nathan Baird, Stephen Means and the Ohio State text subscribers, Doug is back with this companion pod featuring those on the other side of the ball. There are familiar foes from programs like Michigan, Penn State and Notre Dame, and there’s also an under-the-radar combo for OSU fans to keep their eyes on. First (0:30), Doug runs through the 10 most dangerous players from Ohio State’s last 10 regular-season losses in normal years (excluding 2011). Nine of the 10 games had clear players and coaches that gave the Buckeyes enough trouble to knocl them off. Then (11:34) it’s Nos. 10 through 6, starting with a quarterback, followed by (30:57) Nos. 5 through 1. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

USC and UCLA are joining the Big Ten in 2024 and that means the Ohio State Buckeyes will be playing the Trojans and Bruins on a regular basis. Doug Lesmerises, Nathan Baird and Stephen Means even see the slot in the schedule where they believe the Buckeyes will most likely visit the Trojans in the 2024 season. But what about the long-range plans for Ohio State's schedules in this new world? Will the Buckeyes have more tough games? Will that be good or bad for their playoff chances? And most importantly, what does adding USC and UCLA mean for Ohio State's major non-conference plans in future seasons with schools like Alabama, Georgia and Texas? The guys look at the opponents officially added to Ohio State's future schedules this week, and there were several, and then theorize about what future schedules will look like -- and what could be changed. Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's the five most important Ohio State Buckeyes for the 2023 football season on this Thursday Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com. No surprise, the quarterbacks and head coach Ryan Day are part of the top five, and that leads to some very deep discussions about the Buckeyes from Doug Lesmerises, Nathan Baird and Stephen Means. They run through the top five, which includes both coaches and players and hits both offense and defense. They covered the Buckeyes ranked 10 through six on the previous episode. This importance discussion leads to a long debate about how good the quarterback play for Ohio State must be this season. Must Kyle McCord and/or Devin Brown play at at a Dwayne Haskins/Justin Fields/C.J. Stroud first-round draft pick level? Or could something more like Georgia's Stetson Bennett, who was good but not the most important part of the Bulldogs during their two national titles, be enough? Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Wednesday Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com, Doug Lesmerises, Nathan Baird and Stephen Means begin to unveil their rankings of the 10 most important Buckeyes to Ohio State's football season. This podcast covers the players who just missed the top 10, plus Nos. 10 through six. The top five will be discussed on a separate episode. Players and coaches are combined in this ranking, and it's not a best-of list. It's value. It's importance. Doug, Nathan, Stephen and the Ohio State text subscribers each ranked their top 20 Buckeyes, and the lists were then combined to choose this top 10. Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

C.J. Stroud said in a recent interview that he felt disrespected when Quinn Ewers arrived at Ohio State -- earlier than expected just before the 2021 season. On this Tuesday Buckeye Talk, Doug Lesmerises and Nathan Baird try to put that Stroud reaction into perspective and answer some questions now that Ewers is two seasons removed from the Buckeyes. Was there any way Ohio State could have saved the Ewers situation considering how it went down? What would have happened if Ewers had stayed on his expected timeline and arrived for the 2022 season? Should Ohio State learn anything from Ewers that it can apply to quarterback recruiting? Did the Ewers situation have a negative or positive effect on Stroud? How should Ohio State stack quarterback recruits now? It's not quite a BuckeyeFly Effect, but spurred by Stroud sharing his thoughts, it's a reason to revisit an odd chapter in OSU quarterback history. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Monday Madness edition of Buckeye Talk, Doug Lesmerises and Nathan Baird dive into two ideas about Ohio State football and college football before getting to Whatcha Watchin’, Whatcha Eatin’, Whatcha Thinkin’ at the end of the pod. First (0:30), it’s possible that the 12-team college football playoff starting in 2024 will eventually mean the entire college football schedule moves up, with the regular season starting and ending a week earlier. That would mean, among other things, Ohio State-Michigan sliding to the week before Thanksgiving instead the week of Thanksgiving? What do Doug, Nathan and the Ohio State text subscribers think? Then (31:00) there's a brief conversation about calendars and whether people work more or sleep more in a week. Then (39:28) there was a betting controversy with college sports that started with a bet placed in Ohio. What should and shouldn’t be legal when it comes to betting on college sports? Finally (1:03:43) the guys run through ideas from baby birthday parties to a celebrity that annoys one of them. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ohio State's tackle situation is up in the air for 2023, but what happens after that? What will the Ohio State offensive line look like in 2024 and beyond, and what will it take to get the Buckeyes back on track with the development, recruiting and transfer portal additions they need on the offensive line? On this Friday Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com, Doug Lesmerises, Nathan Baird and Stephen Means dive into all of that, and they find a comparison for a turnaround that should give Ohio State fans hope. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Thursday Buckeye Talk, it's time to dive into Marv again. And then it's a taste of Notre Dame football coming off spring, as the Ohio State Buckeyes look forward to a September visit to South Bend. On this episode, Doug Lesmerises, Nathan Baird and Stephen Means start by diving into Marvin Harrison Jr. as an NFL Draft candidate. The guys predicted the entire 2024 draft for the Buckeyes in the previous episode, but MHJ required his own discussion. So what other receivers does Harrison Jr. compare to as a prospect? (0:30) And what NFL teams might be most interested in him a year from now, and which teams might go after a quarterback like Caleb Williams instead? Could Harrison really go first? And could he wind up on the same team where his dad was a Hall of Famer, with the Indianapolis Colts? Then (43:35) it's a visit from Eric Hansen on InsideNDSports.com on the Rivals network, as the Fighting Irish are done with spring practice and had some transfer portal movement. The Irish host the Buckeyes on Sept. 23, so this matters to OSU fans. How did transfer QB Sam Hartman look this spring? What's the Notre Dame side of Lorenzo Styles transferring from Notre Dame to Ohio State? How good are the Irish on the offensive line and on defense? And what will Year 2 be like for former Buckeye Marcus Freeman as the head coach in South Bend? Eric has info on all of that. It's a busy Buckeye Talk, and thanks as always for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The 2023 NFL Draft just ended, which means it's time to look at what Ohio State might do in the 2024 NFL Draft. Clock is ticking. On this Wednesday Buckeye Talk episode, Doug Lesmerises, Nathan Baird and Stephen Means begin by looking at what they projected would happen for the Buckeyes in the 2023 NFL Draft when they did this exercise a year ago. Actually, they weren't too bad, although there was one major way in which they were off. Then it's quickly to a player by player breakdown of projected draft position for 2024, with votes from Ohio State text subscribers joining what the guys have to say. How many first-round Buckeyes do they project? How many total NFL Draft picks do they project for Ohio State? And could an NFL Draft record for a single team be within range for the Buckeyes? Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Tuesday Buckeye Talk, Doug Lesmerises, Nathan Baird and Stephen Means discuss the latest names from the spring transfer window. The portal has now closed for players who want to go in, though they still have time to choose their destinations. The Buckeyes added two big names and lost one over the weekend. This episode discusses: (0:30) Portal news update (2:41) Ohio State adding OT Joshua Simmons (24:52) The passing of Ohio State PA announcer Bob Kennedy (27:08) Ohio State adding CB Lorenzo Styles (36:21) Ohio State losing WR Kaleb Brown (42:07) Ohio State's roster numbers as they stand Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The 2023 NFL Draft is over, and on this Buckeye Talk episode, Doug Lesmerises, Nathan Baird and Stephen Means wrap up the final picks for Ohio State after three Buckeyes went in the first round, which was covered on the Friday pod. This is your Monday episode, but it's dropping early on Sunday, and it covers the final three OSU picks: (0:30) Final draft numbers for the Buckeyes and the Big Ten (12:41) Zach Harrison going in Round 3 to Atlanta (18:38) Dawand Jones heading to the Browns in Round 4 (38:11) Luke Wypler also going to Cleveland in Round 6 (57:13) A final run through the undrafted Buckeyes Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Three Ohio State Buckeyes were picked in the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft on Thursday night, and Doug Lesmerises, Nathan Baird and Stephen Means are here to break it all down. First (0:30) C.J. Stroud to the Houston Texans at No. 2, Then (27:34) Paris Johnson Jr. to the Arizona Cardinals at No. 6, Then (43:36) Jaxon Smith-Njigba to the Seattle Seahawks at No. 20, and finally (50:51) all the numbers and stats on the Buckeyes and the Big Ten in the first round. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Thursday edition of Buckeye Talk, Doug Lesmerises, Nathan Baird and Stephen Means start out with more transfer news, and then get into rapid fire questions from Ohio State text subscribers. The topics: * How underrated and overshadowed is OSU receiver Emeka Egbuka? * What does USC hiring Kliff Kingsbury mean for Ohio State? * What’s the over-under on portal losses at different positions for the Buckeyes? * Should OSU fans have football fever yet? * Ohio State QB recruit Air Noland is left-handed -- what does that mean for the Ohio State program and his future teammates? * Have we ever thought a recruit shouldn’t sign with Ohio State? * Is rooting for a college football team with lower expectations more fun? Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Wednesday Buckeye Talk, transfer news opens (0:30) the pod -- one transfer that could affect teams that matter to Ohio State, plus one Buckeye leaving in the portal, and another that could be interested in coming in as a transfer. Then (15:29) it's onto the main topic of the episode -- the Ohio State run game, how the Buckeyes use their running backs and how often, and what that might look like this year. How will the OSU running backs factor into the offense compared to last season? Compared to J.K. Dobbins' 2,000-yard season in 2019? Compared to the run game history of Ohio State? Compared to how the pass game is used? There are some numbers about the frequency of the running back usage a year ago that might surprise you. And Doug Lesmerises, Nathan Baird and Stephen Means dig in deep on this topic, as spurred on by text subscribers. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This episode is a full first-round mock draft featuring eight cleveland.com reporters. It's a crossover pod of Buckeye Talk, Orange and Brown Talk, and Strictly Stripes, as the cleveland.com experts on Ohio State, the Cleveland Browns and the Cincinnati Bengals come together for one monster episode. All 31 picks in the first round are here, and in this mock four trades are made (including one involving C.J. Stroud), five quarterbacks are taken in the first round, and a good time is had by all. The drafters: Nathan Baird, OSU writer Doug Lesmerises, OSU writer Mary Kay Cabot, Browns writer Dan Labbe, Browns writer Mohammad Ahmad, Bengals writer Andrew Gillis, Bengals writer Jimmy Watkins, Rivalry writer Tim Bielik, NFL Draft writer You'll find the same pod on our Browns and Bengals feeds. But for Ohio State fans wanting to get a feel before Thursday on how Stroud, Paris Johnson and Jaxon Smith-Njigba fit into the bigger picture, we think this is worth your time. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Monday Buckeye Talk, Doug Lesmerises, Nathan Baird and Stephen Means are going on the clock in the 2023 NFL Draft. They're predicting where they think Ohio State players will be drafted this week. Listen to their picks for: (0:30) C.J. Stroud (30:49) Paris Johnson Jr. (42:31) Jaxon Smith-Njigba (52:32) Dawand Jones (1:01:59) Zach Harrison (1:12:00) Luke Wypler (1:20:19) Ronnie Hickman (1:27:17) Cam Brown and Tanner McCalister Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's time for a break from OSU-Michigan talk, as Doug Lesmerises, Nathan Baird and Stephen Means get back to rapid fire questions about everything related to Ohio State football on this Saturday edition of Buckeye Talk. First up, (0:30), who do the guys list as their stars of spring football? Then (13:38) it's suggesting one thing they would change about Ohio State football. Next (23:00) is a deep discussion about whether Ohio should have spring football in high school and what it would mean for the Buckeyes. Then (41:14) the fallout from Brian Hartline's UTV accident is discussed, and what it might mean for Hartline and the Buckeyes, and how Ryan Day might handle it. Next (57:35) is the ongoing discussion about offensive line options in the transfer portal. Finally (1:02:20), would an OSU-UM national title game overwhelm the rest of the rivalry? Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's the final episode of our three-part Ohio State-Michigan miniseries here in April on Buckeye Talk, as Doug Lesmerises, Nathan Baird, Stephen Means and Jimmy Watkins turn the discussion toward intangibles. Part 1 was feelings in the rivalry. Part 2 was football in the rivalry. Part 3 is how the feelings affect the football. First (0:30), the guys talk about Michigan's current trash talk in the series after two straight wins and what, if anything, Ohio State can do about it. That includes a discussion (25:14) about some social media words exchanged recently by recruits on both sides. Then (32:44), it's what Ohio State might be like as an underdog in The Game this season, if that happens. Then (35:29) comes a long discussion about what happens in the rivalry when the talent is pretty equal. That includes a look at history and the record in the series, since Woody Hayes, when both teams are ranked in the top 10. Finally (1:06:53) there's an insider vs. outsider discussion, and a debate (1:13:45) on whether the last two wins for the Wolverines were more about what Michigan did right or what Ohio State did wrong. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Thursday Buckeye Talk, Doug Lesmerises, Nathan Baird, Stephen Means and cleveland.com rivalry reporter Jimmy Watkins are here for the second Ohio State-Michigan episode this week. This pod is about the football -- the strengths and weaknesses of both teams on the field, how they match up, and why they both might be among the four best teams in the country again. Off the bat (0:30) Doug asks the other three about his theory that these very well could be two playoff team. Then (2:07) it's a discussion of Michigan quarterback JJ McCarthy, what the Wolverines need from him, and how he compares to the Ohio State QBs and to other returning QBs around the country. Next up are breakdowns of the offensive lines (32:03), running backs (38:44) and receivers (43:22) on both sides. Answers from texters about how these teams compare (53:06) are then followed by a more thorough discussion (1:00:24) of whether an Ohio State-Michigan national title game is really possible this season. Then it's a dive into both defenses (1:13:44) and which should be better this season. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk, and come back for part three of this OSU-UM series on Friday. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's the start of a three-episode series on the Ohio State-Michigan game on this edition of Buckeye Talk. First up, Doug Lesmerises asked Ohio State text subscribers for their feelings about the state of the rivalry after the conclusion of spring football for both the Buckeyes and Wolverines. The next pod on Thursday will deal with the football matchup between the two teams, and the Friday pod will focus on the intangibles within the rivalry. But first, the fans check in. To do that, Doug focused on three areas with survey questions and responses from texters. First (0:30), how much does the fact that Ohio State has lost the last two games to Michigan affect the everyday lives of OSU fans? Then (35:46), are fans optimistic or worried about Ohio State's chances of winning in Ann Arbor in November, and how have their thoughts changed over the last five months? Finally (1:04:31) what do fans think are some of the reasons that Michigan has won the last two games, and is Ohio State doing the right things to change that? Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk from cleveland.co, and don't miss the next two episodes on The Game, as Doug will be joined by Nathan Baird, Stephen Means and cleveland.com rivalry reporter Jimmy Watkins. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Monday Madness edition of Buckeye Talk, Doug Lesmerises and Nathan Baird are here with: (0:30) Final points after rewatching the Ohio State spring football game on Kyle McCord, Marvin Harrison Jr., Sonny Styles, the offensive line and more. (24:58) A look at Ohio State's roster management situation, with how many scholarships over the Buckeyes are on their roster count, and at which positions they could lose players or add players. (1:07:24) Whatcha Eatin', Whatcha Watchin' and Whatcha Thinkin', featuring waffles, live music shows, Jack Ryan, the baseball pitch clock and more. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Spring football is over for the Ohio State Buckeyes, and Doug Lesmerises, Nathan Baird and Stephen Means are here to wrap up what they saw at Ohio State's spring game Saturday, with more than 75,000 fans in attendance. First (0:30), Ohio State added two football recruits on Saturday. Then (6:29) it's into the game and how quarterback Kyle McCord looked. Devin Brown couldn't play because of an injury, but does the QB battle continue? That continues into a discussion about the offensive line (46:35) and how that group looked. Then it's the receivers (54:38) and the defense (57:19). There are some final overall thoughts (1:04:00) from spring, then a final take on the play-calling handoff (1:11:45). Finally, the transfer portal (1:22:50) is open again. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Friday Buckeye Talk on the eve of the Ohio State spring football game, Doug Lesmerises, Nathan Baird and Stephen Means are talking recruiting. First (0:30), the guys check in on texter thoughts from two previous podcasts. There are texter survey results on the idea of Haskins Heisman Hill in Buckeye Grove (3:30), and there are the answers about whether Ohio State could put together a mini-dynasty in the next decade (10:10). Then it's onto recruiting (14:19) and whether Ryan Day is feeling momentum after six commits in the last three weeks. One is quarterback Air Noland (20:46) and another is linebacker Payton Pierce (26:29). What do their pledges mean? Then the guys get into a debate about the current offensive line recruiting strategy (35:07) and what needs to happen next at that position. Finally (1:05:17) the talk turns to the latest collective and if it might be more effective in helping Ohio State get the NIL money to land some major national recruits. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk, and talk to you after the spring game on Saturday with a postgame pod. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Everyone is healthy and ready to play Saturday in Ohio Stadium in this version of an Ohio State spring game draft from cleveland.com. There are two full 22-player teams to be drafted, and Nathan Baird and Stephen Means go head-to-head with their selections while Doug Lesmerises moderates. This should tell you something about the 2023 Buckeyes with spring football winding down, it should help get you ready for Saturday, plus drafts are always fun. Thanks for listening to cleveland.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Devin Brown had a procedure on one of his fingers on Wednesday and won't play in Saturday's spring game. What does that mean for Ohio State's quarterback competition? That's what Doug Lesmerises, Nathan Baird and Stephen Means discuss on the Wednesday Buckeye Talk. First (0:30), they talk about what they know about the injury, what it means for Kyle McCord on Saturday, and how it affects the ongoing battle to be the OSU starter in the fall. Then (28:40) they jump to the structure of Saturday's spring game, and why Ryan Day sounds so optimistic about the OSU cornerbacks. Finally (37:46) it's the OSU offensive line, where questions clearly remain. How will the Buckeyes solve their issues at tackle? Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Tuesday Buckeye Talk, Doug Lesmerises, Nathan Baird and Stephen Means answer a great texter question: Can Ohio State build a mini-dynasty in the future, or did the Buckeyes miss their window while Alabama, Clemson and Georgia capitalized on their chances? The subject is addressed in three parts: offense, defense and the structure of the sport. First (0:30), is there reason to believe that the Ohio State offense will continue to produce at a level that keeps the shot at a mini-dynasty alive? Second, (22:35) on the defensive side, can the Buckeyes improve their recruiting and development enough to make it possible? Finally (54:01) there's a look at the missed opportunities in the past for an OSU mini-dynasty (Doug identifies five eras) and then the talk turns to the 12-team playoff and whether it makes it more or less likely for an OSU mini-dynasty. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Monday Buckeye Talk, Ryan Day joins Doug Lesmerises for a half-hour interview on Dwayne Haskins, who died a year ago, on April 9, 2022. Day talks about coaching Haskins, about the quarterback's greatest strengths, and about how he should be remembered as part of Ohio State history. Also discussed is the spring quarterback battle in 2018 between Haskins and Joe Burrow five years ago,. Then it's on to audio clips from Haskins' career, as the quarterback in 2018 talks about his decision to come to Ohio State, that spring battle, and settling in as the starter. Clips are also included from Burrow and from Quincy Avery, Haskins' private quarterback coach. Finally, Doug has a proposal for a way Ohio State could honor Haskins and a handful of other great players from this era who aren't in Buckeye Grove. Consider this a Dwayne Haskins legacy podcast, adding to the previous C.J. Stroud episode in our Legacy Series on Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Friday Buckeye Talk, it's time to look at the dudes, and potential dudes, on Ohio State's defense. There's always a lot of defensive scheme talk around Jim Knowles, but for this episode, Doug Lesmerises, Nathan Baird and Stephen Means are counting players who change games. They are counting defensive dudes. First (0:30) it's a look at the recent past, back to 2014, and how many defensive dudes the Buckeyes had each year. Then (22:45) it's a look at last season and who fit that bill. Then (37:20) it's a projection to this season and how many dudes there might be. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's running backs and tight ends on this Thursday Buckeye Talk, as Doug Lesmerises, Nathan Baird and Stephen Means take you through what they learned from the latest round of Ohio State interviews. That includes interesting conversations with running back TreVeyon Henderson and tight end Cade Stover. First (0:30), the guys talk through some tidbits and theories on a couple subjects. Then (10:33) there's a deep dive into Henderson, what happened last season, and what he's thinking about this season. That's followed (31:50) by more running back talk on Dallan Hayden, assistant coach Tony Alford and how the backs might be used this season. Finally (57:24) there's tight end talk around Stover, freshman Jelani Thurman and new tight ends coach Keenan Bailey. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Wednesday Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com, Stephen Means discusses Ohio State's recent surge on the recruiting trail and what it means. The topics include: Offensive Line recruiting issues Tim Walton's potential impact on the cornerback room's present and futuree The Ohio State-Michigan recruiting battles The Buckeyes' quarterback recruiting and its overall approach Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Tuesday Buckeye Talk, Doug Lesmerises, Nathan Baird and Stephen Means are breaking down another position group. This time it's the safeties, based off interviews with those players last week. The pod breaks down into conversations about the competition at the three safety spots: Nickel safety, with Cam Martinez and Ja'Had Carter (0:30) Bandit, or strong safety, with Lathan Ransom and Sonny Styles (19:46) Adjustor, or free safety, with Josh Proctor and Kye Stokes (41:35) Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Monday Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com, Doug Lesmerises is running through rants about the football Buckeyes from Ohio State text subscribers. In section three, there's some Ohio State and Big Ten basketball talk, but the first hour is football. The topics include: Wearing Ohio State gear in Taipei Wanting more football Doug's WR depth rankings Complaining about offensive line depth Is Ryan Day too nice? Feeling no OSU passion since the Georgia loss Not believing in football or men's basketball Corey Dennis Marvin Harrison Jr. and safe and fair concussion treatments No Michigan talk this spring How to stop Michigan from talking The OSU staff vs. the Michigan staff Naming positions Pronouncing words Peanut butter hamburger Sports betting Doug is Aaron Craft Celebrating OSU women's basketball Needing a center and pizza Big Ten men's basketball is down Brice Sensabaugh Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ohio State quarterbacks Kyle McCord and Devin Brown struggled to move the ball in Saturday's eighth scrimmage as the offensive line had trouble keeping the defensive line out of the backfield. Could such days help determine who will win this quarterback competition? Nathan and Stephen discuss what they saw from both quarterbacks and reassess where the battle stands halfway through the spring. They also ran down an injury update, discussed that uneven competition in the trenches and singled out one receiver who has helped himself a lot the past two weeks. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Friday Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com, Doug Lesmerises is joined by special guest James Palmer, a reporter and host at the NFL Network since 2015. He covered Ohio State's Pro Day and he's also an Ohio State grad, and he's hear to talk about Ohio State's NFL reputation and how OSU draft prospects are viewed this year. The topics: How Palmer got to Ohio State (0:30) How the NFL views Ohio State (15:13) Will C.J. Stroud be the No. 1 pick? (25:36) Jaxon Smith-Njigba (38:23) Marvin Harrison Jr. (47:48) Paris Johnson (57:36) Dawand Jones (1:02:35) Justin Fields (1:06:05) Thanks to James for his time, and thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Buckeye Talk, Doug Lesmerises, Nathan Baird and Stephen Means are reacting to their conversations with Ohio State cornerbacks on Thursday. (They also talked to safeties, but they'll get to them next week.) On this episode, the focus is on three corners: Denzel Burke (0:30) Davison Igbinosun (24:04) Jyaire Brown (37:14) Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Wednesday Buckeye Talk episode, Doug Lesmerises, Nathan Baird and Stephen Means are ranking Ohio State's nine position groups, and assigning a depth rating to each. The result? A final ranking, in order, of the deepest positions for the Buckeyes. The groups discussed, in order: Offensive line (0:30) Running backs (8:10) Receivers (16:16) Tight ends (29:19) Quarterbacks (35:02) Defensive line (42:05) Linebackers (47:13) Cornerbacks (49:48) Safeties (53:10) And a wrap up (56:22). Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Tuesday Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com, sorry that it got up late, but blame the podcast company for screwing up the audio files. But Doug Lesmerises, Nathan Baird and Stephen Means are here to discuss their conversations with Ohio State defensive coordinator Jim Knowles and offensive coordinator Brian Hartline on Tuesday. Knowles has an idea for how young players can impress him. Hartline has an idea on how we should view, for now, the play-calling changeover. It's mostly Knowles for the first part, until about the 50:46 mark, and then it's Hartline to wrap up. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Saturday Buckeye Talk, Doug Lesmerises, Nathan Baird and Stephen Means are breaking down everything they learned and all the players who flashed in Ohio State's two-hour Saturday practice, which included a lot of scrimmaging. Topics and players covered include: Quarterbacks (0:52) Sonny Styles (20:54) Kenyatta Jackson (28:19) Gabe Powers (35:13) Jayden Ballard (41:47) Carnell Tate (44:18) Davison Igbinosun (48:59) Offensive line (49:55) Jelani Thurman (51:34) Ryan Day (54:08) Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Friday Buckeye Talk, Doug Lesmerises, Nathan Baird and Stephen Means run through the entire Ohio State offensive line after talking to Buckeyes’ offensive linemen on Thursday after the fourth practice of spring football. That starts (0:30) with Josh Fryar and left tackle and then goes to: * Donovan Jackson and left guard (15:31) * Carson Hinzman and center (28:51) * A brief stop at right guard and established starter Matthew Jones (38:43) * Right tackle with Zen Michalski and Tegra Tshabola (39:31) * A last look at how offensive line coach Justin Frye is feeling (53:34). Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The NFL swarmed Ohio State for Pro Day on Wednesday, and Doug Lesmerises, Nathan Baird and Stephen Means were there to take it all in. On this Thursday episode, they break down what the feeling was like inside the Woody Hayes Athletic Center with so many NFL head coaches and general managers in attendence. They they run through what the day was like for OSU players such as C.J. Stroud, Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Dawand Jones, Paris Johnson, Zach Harrison, Tanner McCalister and more. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Wednesday Buckeye Talk, Doug Lesmerises, Nathan Baird and Stephen Means run through three topics that Ohio State coach Ryan Day discussed Tuesday after the Buckeyes' third practice of spring football. First (0:30), it's the quarterback battle, as Day broke down what he wants from mobility and reading defenses and everything in between. What does that tell us about the Kyle McCord-Devin Brown competition, and what does it tell us about how this OSU offense will be different after C.J. Stroud? Then (39:49) it's the OSU offensive line, and the willingness of the Buckeyes to be honest in their evaluation. Finally (56:23) it's more discussion about the competitive fire of the defense and how Ohio State is emphasizing that this spring. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this week's episode of NIL Now, Kevin and Lauren assess Nick Saban’s latest NIL comments about collectives paying players to attend their schools. The hosts then discuss whether or not LifeWallet CEO John Ruiz should be considered a “booster,” after he said he’ll file a lawsuit against the NCAA over his mislabeling as a Miami “booster.” Reddit CFB’s Bobak Ha’Eri brings Reddit's comments on Isaiah Foskey’s claim that he would’ve played somewhere other than Notre Dame if NIL was a big deal in recruiting when he played high school football and the Reddit community’s take on what college football will look like in 5-10 years. Chase Griffin, a quarterback at UCLA and a two-time recipient of the NIL Male Athlete of the Year Award at the NIL Summit, shares his story and thoughts on the importance of using NIL to uplift communities around him. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Tuesday Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com, Doug Lesmerises is here with one thing to say: He used to think the Big Ten was a basketball conference. He doesn't anymore. It's definitely a football conference. The two sports are going opposite directions, and Doug spells out how it's happening and then looks at coaching and talent to see why football is up in this league and men's basketball is down. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Monday Madness edition of Buckeye Talk, Doug Lesmerises and Nathan Baird wrap up with a modified version of Whatcha Watchin' and what the Big Ten failures in the NCAA Tournament tell us about Ohio State football. But first (0:30) they discuss the new football schedule starting in the Big Ten in 2024 and what permanent rivals Ohio State should have. Who and how many? And what Big Ten games have to be protected? And what's the best way to work USC and UCLA into the league? Then (36:28) the talk moves to the recent raises for the Ohio State assistant football coaches. What's the money balance on the staff and what does it tell us about the Buckeyes? Finally (1:10:02), Doug and Nathan talk about Purdue losing as a No. 1 seed to a No. 16 seed in the tournament, and the Boilermakers continued shortcomings on the national scene. How would Ohio State handle similar failures in this day and age and what does that say about the two schools? Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Friday Buckeye Talk, Doug Lesmerises and Nathan Baird are taking another bunch of Ohio State football questions from text subscribers. There are two main themes, however. First, (0:30) the discussion is on the 2024 Buckeyes and what might happen if the roster undergoes its assumed overhaul after 2023 with so many players expected to be heading to the NFL. Several questions and answers deal with that. Then (28:14) it's talking the future and present of Ohio State quarterbacks compared to other Big Ten teams. Finally (1:01:17) there's a question about the Ohio State defense, one about dreams, and one about running a 5K or 10K. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Thursday Buckeye Talk episode, Doug Lesmerises, Nathan Baird and Stephen Means are taking rapid fire Ohio State football questions from text subscibers. The subjects: (0:30) Will the Buckeyes be better in 2023 or possibly headed toward two or three losses? (25:50) Will Julian Fleming and Jayden Ballard be battling for playing time? (37:12) Do the Buckeyes need to play linebacker C.J. Hicks if they don't want to lose him? (48:48) What are the expectations for running back TreVeyon Henderson? (1:00:57) What is Jack Sawyer's best position? (1:03:15) Meshing Jim Knowles and Larry Johnson on the defensive staff (1:07:29) Looking for and writing about BA players on the football team (1:16:00) Does Doug do cringey interviews? (1:19:54) NFL corner Jamel Dean's brief history as a Buckeye (1:23:23) Will C.J. Stroud be the first pick in the NFL Draft? Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Wednesday Buckeye Talk, which took an extra day to get up, Doug Lesmerises is talking about Ohio State basketball, but not the 2022-23 version of Ohio State basketball. No, the conversation here is memories and standards. So, to start (0:30), Doug looks at the history of the NCAA Tournament and explains where Ohio State ranks in the country in tournament appearances, tournament wins, Sweet 16 appearances, Sweet 16 appearances since 1985, and more. The point? Ohio State has a history that says it should be good at basketball. Then, (13:30) the talk turns to favorite OSU memories in the NCAA Tournament, from 1960 to 1992 to 1999 to 2007 to 2012 and more. Finally (57:10) there's a brief discussion of the end of this Ohio State season and what missing the tournament does for fan's enjoyment of March Madness. Back to football on Thursday. For now, thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Monday Madness edition of Buckeye Talk, Doug Lesmerises and Nathan Baird discuss an Ohio State issue, a national college football issue, and Whatcha Thinkin', Eatin', and Watchin'. First, (0:30) there's a long breakdown of whether Ohio State football could break the record for NFL Scouting Combine invites next year. Doug and Nathan go through all the players who could be combine candidates in 2024, and then analyze what it might mean for the Buckeyes in the fall if they have so many draft possibilities next winter. That takes quite a while. Then (1:01:55) there's a debate over whether Wisconsin or Penn State should be the third-best Big Ten team in 2023. Finally, (1:15:51) the Whatcha discussion includes standing in line, Swiss Steak and Cocaine Bear. Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Friday Buckeye Talk, Doug Lesmerises, Nathan Baird and Stephen Means are discussing Marvin Harrison Jr., what's ahead for him in 2023, what he's chasing and how the Ohio State Buckeyes should go about bringing out the best in him. Everything MHJ takes up the first 60 percent of the pod, and then at 45:05 the talk moves to other receivers getting a chance this spring, like Jayden Ballard, Kojo Antwi, Kaleb Brown and Kyion Grayes. But this is a deep dive into how MHJ thinks and how the Buckeyes think about him. Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this week's episode of NIL Now, Kevin and Lauren preview NCAA president Charlie Baker's first 100 days in office. The hosts then react to LSU gymnast Olivia Dunne's controversial NIL deal with Caktus AI, an artificial intelligence tool that forced LSU to issue a statement. Reddit CFB’s Bobak Ha’Eri brings his thoughts and Reddit's comments on Baker's mission as the NCAA's leader, and what he predicts the relationship between the NCAA and boosters, such as Miami's John Ruiz, will look like in the future. Mark Koesterer, the founder of The Players NIL and author of "NIL For ALL: A 30-Minute Guide to NIL," details where the NCAA went wrong with NIL and explains the importance of athlete education. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Thursday Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com, Doug Lesmerises, Nathan Baird and Stephen Means are bringing you the latest from Ohio State's second practice of spring football on Thursday morning. For this episode, that means describing Brian Hartline's new role as the Buckeyes' offensive coordinator, and what that means for him in practice. How is he different from Ryan Day? How might they complement each other? What's Hartline's coaching future? At the end of the pod, Doug goes on a rant about the Big Ten Network and its basketball coverage, but this is football pod about an important Buckeye in a new role. Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Wednesday Buckeye Talk, it's time to talk Ohio State defense from the first day of spring practice. Doug Lesmerises, Nathan Baird and Stephen Means do that, in this order: (0:30) Sonny Styles, Davison Igbinosun, Denzel Burke and the secondary (22:20) C.J. Hicks and the linebackers (38:29) The future of the Jack position in Jim Knowles' defense (49:42) What didn't work for the OSU defense last season and how Knowles plans to adjust Don't miss the offensive breakdown from Day 1 on the Tuesday podcast. And thanks as always for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Tuesday Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com, Doug Lesmerises, Nathan Baird and Stephen Means are talking about the first day of Ohio State football spring practice after watching a portion Tuesday and then talking with Ryan Day and quarterbacks Kyle McCord and Devin Brown. A podcast all about the defense from the first day of spring will drop Wednesday morning. For now, the guys start (0:30) with the quarterback battle. Then it's receivers (35:48), tight ends (45:57), running backs (53:05) and the offensive line (55:45). Position battles, players to watch, insight from coaches, audio clips from quarterbacks -- it's all part of this Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Monday Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com, Doug Lesmerises and Nathan Baird are wrapping up their coverage of the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis. That includes running through the interviews and workouts of the three Buckeyes they haven't talked about yet -- offensive linemen Paris Johnson Jr., Dawand Jones and Luke Wypler. First (0:30), Doug and Nathan go through some combine notes, including the measurements of several Buckeyes. Then (15:36), it's Johnson and the case he made to be the first tackle drafted. Then (27:25) it's Jones and his extraordinary size and first-round prospects. Then (33:28) it's to Wypler and if his Indy performance can get him into the second round. Receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba's outstanding testing and drills (44:47) got a lot of attention, and Doug and Nathan go through that next, as JSN may have confirmed his status as wide receiver one in the 2023 NFL Draft. Finally, (1:00:10) it's C.J. Stroud and how he threw the ball Saturday night. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Saturday Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com, Doug Lesmerises and Nathan Baird are discussing two big-time Ohio State Buckeyes at the NFL Scouting Combine. On Friday, quarterback C.J. Stroud and receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba spoke with reporters. They'll work out on Saturday. First (0:30), Doug and Nathan discuss Smith-Njigba and the hamstring injury that held him to 60 snaps in 2022. Speaking to reporters for the first time since the injury, he said he regretted trying to come back as fast as he did. Then (30:12), Doug and Nathan talk about Stroud, how close he came to staying at Ohio State, and what he said about running the ball with the Buckeyes. In the final segment (1:06:15), the talk turned to the teams where Stroud might best fit and how those might try to grab him in the 2023 NFL Draft. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Friday Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com, Doug Lesmerises and Nathan Baird are discussing the first three Ohio State Buckeyes they interviewed at the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis. First up (0:30) is cornerback Cam Brown. The guys discuss where he ranks in this cornerback draft class, the dip in OSU cornerback prospects and why that happened, and the testing numbers that Brown could put up to help himself. Then it's safety Ronnie Hickman ( 30:51) and where he fits among the 10 best safeties in the draft. He had a lot of turnover in defensive coaches at Ohio State, and what will that mean for him in the NFL? Finally, it's defensive end Zach Harrison (48:58) and his very long arms. Doug and Nathan discuss his consistency and upside and how he compares to some edge rusher OSU draft prospects of the recent past. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. There will be more combine interviews and discussion in the days ahead. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Thursday Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com, Doug Lesmerises is asking a question spurred by his four conversations with winning Ohio State coaches across various sports. Must a coach be a badass to win at Ohio State? Doug has thoughts, and he asked Ohio State text subscribers to share their views as well. It's kind of an obvious question, but it's one that Doug also found clarifying when it comes to assessing OSU teams. Plus, Doug talks a bit about Jalen Carter and Georgia football, and the circumstances around the two tragic deaths in the program in January. And then he finishes with a bit to say about Ohio State basketball, after the Buckeyes got their second straight win. Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Wednesday Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com, Doug Lesmerises is in Indianapolis for the NFL Scouting Combine, but it's not yet time to talk about what's been learned here. That will come later in the week. For this pod, Doug wanted to wrap up two more interviews with Ohio State head coaches. This time it's wrestling coach Tom Ryan and men's tennis coach Ty Tucker. Last week featured a pod with women's hockey coach Nadine Muzerall and women's basketball coach Kevin McGuff. The goal for both pods was to discuss the standard for Ohio State sports, and how these coaches built their winning programs. There is culture and strategy here that applies across sports, and they are just some good stories shared as well. It'll be back to football soon, but for now, we hope you enjoy this Buckeye Talk. Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Tuesday Buckeye Talk, Doug Lesmerises, Nathan Baird and Stephen Means are looking ahead to the start of Ohio State spring football practice, which begins in a week. To do that, they are drafting the nine Buckeyes that intrigue them the most for spring, from early-enrolled freshmen, to veterans battling for jobs, to players who might be ready to take a step toward stardom. There will be a lot of OSU coverage from the NFL Combine this week, but spring practice will start before you know it. So let's get ready now. Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Monday Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com, Doug Lesmerises and Nathan Baird are joined by Max Chadwick, the college football analyst from PFF, to preview the eight Ohio State Buckeyes taking part in the NFL Combine this week. Nathan and Doug will be two of the cleveland.com reporters in Indianapolis to cover the combine, so get ready for more combine podcasting later in the week. And this pod will get you ready. First, they interview Max, and then Doug and Nathan share their most interesting questions for the combine and the eight Buckeyes who will be there: C.J. Stroud, Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Paris Johnson Jr., Dawand Jones, Luke Wypler, Zach Harrison, Ronnie Hickman and Cam Brown. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Friday Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com, Doug Lesmerises, Nathan Baird and Stephen Means are back to do the defensive version of the offensive draft they did a week ago. It's drafting 11-player units from the four-year era with Ryan Day as head coach of the Ohio State Buckeyes, with the same twist: each unit must include one player from the Urban Meyer era and one player from the Jim Tressel era. Stephen gets the first pick in this one, so who does he take? And who did the Ohio State text subscribers choose as the winner of the offense draft? Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Thursday Buckeye Talk, Doug Lesmerises is beginning the discussion about the standards and expectations for sports at Ohio State. In that pursuit, he's interviewing head coaches of other successful OSU programs, and this episode has two great talks to kick that off. First up is Nadine Muzerall, the head coach of the women's hockey team. The Buckeyes won their first national title in women's hockey last year and are the No. 1 team again this season heading into the postseason. Muzerall explains how that happened, and discusses her coaching philosophy. Then it's Kevin McGuff, the head coach of the women's basketball team. The Buckeyes won the Big Ten last season and reached the Sweet Sixteen. This year, Ohio State is once again a top-25 team and with one game left in the regular season, another Sweet Sixteen run looks possible. Thanks to these coaches for their time, and thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Wednesday Buckeye Talk, Doug Lesmerises, Nathan Baird and Stephen Means discuss third-year Ohio State quarterback Kyle McCord and the battle he is preparing for this spring to replace C.J. Stroud. Nathan has been reporting a story on McCord for a while, and part of this discussion centers on how McCord as a young QB and in high school started readying himself for a moment like this. The guys also look at McCord’s style and why Ryan Day recruited him, and at the end of the podcast they run through the recent history of first-year Ohio State starting quarterbacks and what should be expected of them. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Buckeye Talk edition, Doug Lesmerises is joined by two very special guests. One is an actor, one is a space scientist, and both of them are Ohio State grads. In two 35-minute interviews, the hope is to give you a look into two interesting lives of former Buckeyes. First up is Otis Winston, who is in the movie "Plane," which is currently out in theaters. He's been in several other movies and TV shows after an athletic career at Ohio State that included both basketball and high jump. Otis was one of the captains of the 1996-97 OSU basketball team. He talks about filming "Plane," making an acting career while living in central Ohio, and transitioning from sports to the big screen. Then it's a 35-minute interview with James Bullock, the dean of the School of Physical Sciences at the University of California-Irvine. James was involved with the James Webb Space Telescope, which is currently taking awesome photos of the universe. He talks about space exploration, how much should be invested in space research, whether he thinks there is other life out there, and more. James is also a Buckeye Talk listener, so he knows the deal. Thanks to both Otis and James for sharing these interesting insights into their lives. And thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Monday Buckeye Talk, it's time for an in-depth look at Ohio State special teams. This is worth the time since three major special teams played affected the end of Ohio State's season -- the miscommunication on what should have been a fake punt vs. Michigan; the fake punt that was stopped by a timeout vs. Georgia; and the missed field goal to end the Georgia loss. To get at those issues, Doug Lesmerises spent 20 minutes interviewing OSU specials teams coordinator Parker Fleming when he was available a few weeks ago. In what was almost a one-on-one interview, Doug dug in more on special teams than Buckeye Talk has done in a long time. On this podcast, Doug shares his thoughts on whether Ohio State should have an entire assistant coach devoted to special teams, and gets at what didn't work for the Buckeyes. He does that while sharing audio clips from Fleming in that interview. We think this was a worthy dive into this part of the game, and thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Friday Buckeye Talk, Doug Lesmerises, Nathan Baird and Stephen Means are back to do one of their favorite things on this podcast -- drafting teams against each other. For this exercise, they each drafted an 11-player offense made up of Buckeyes from the last four season -- Ryan Day's four years as head coach. But there was one twist -- each of them had to draft one player from the Urban Meyer era and one player from the Jim Tressel era. That added an extra level of strategy -- and made sure each team got a good quarterback. So listen to this 11-round draft to find out which 27 Day players, which three Meyer players and which three Tressel players made the cut. Thanks as always for listening to Buckeye Talk. And expect a defensive version of this draft next week. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Wednesday Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com, Doug Lesmerises is here late with what was supposed to be a Valentine's Day episode. Why did it make sense for Valentine's Day? Because it's about love. Instead of rants this week, Doug asked Ohio State text subscribers for anti-rants. That is, he wanted stories and explanations from fans about what they love about the Buckeyes and what they love about being a fan of them. And that's what people sent. From Ohio State's history of winning to the bonds forged with family, Doug runs through anti-rant after anti-rant about love for this program. Sorry it's a day late, and thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Monday Buckeye Talk, Doug Lesmerises and Nathan Baird are reacting to the Super Bowl, and thinking about whether an Ohio State quarterback will get there one day. First (0:30), on this Monday Madness edition, Doug and Nathan do Whatcha Watchin’, Whatcha Eatin’, Whatcha Thinkin’? They are watching the Super Bowl, eating Super Bowl food, and thinking about flag football, bad radio and worse Ohio State basketball (32:54), among other things. Then (44:29), they discuss Justin Fields and the Bears, as the former OSU QB is preparing for Year 3 in Chicago. Does Fields have any similarities to Philadelphia quarterback Jalen Hurts, and what should the Bears do to best set up Fields for success? Can he be a Super Bowl QB? Finally (1:09:23) it’s onto C.J. Stroud and the best landing spots in this NFL Draft for the former Buckeye. Will he go in the top two picks? Which teams might trade up for him? And what might be the best places for Stroud to succeed? Can he be a Super Bowl QB? Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Friday Buckeye Talk, Doug Lesmerises and Stephen Means discuss the latest views on Ohio State recruiting based on last week’s interview with Mark Pantoni, who has overseen the recruiting operation for the Buckeyes for more than a decade. First (0:30), Doug and Stephen discuss Ohio State’s latest ideas about NIL and how it affects Ohio State’s recruiting. Then (9:35) they dive more specifically into one possibility in this recruiting world -- the Buckeyes focusing more on in-state recruits. Finally (47:47), it’s some changes in the OSU recruiting department and what Pantoni’s main duties are now. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Thursday Buckeye Talk, it's time to talk about the Ohio State secondary. Doug Lesmerises, Nathan Baird and Stephen Means discuss what OSU cornerbacks coach Tim Walton and safeties coach Perry Eliano said last week. First, (0:30) the guys talk about the eight Buckeyes invited to this year's NFL Combine and what that says about Ohio State's 2022 team. Then (12:47) they talk about Walton, what was said about the OSU corners and the wide-open competition that could occur this spring. Then (33:53) it's the safeties, Eliano and how young safeties Sonny Styles and Kye Stokes could factor into the 2023 season. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Wednesday Buckeye Talk, Doug Lesmerises, Nathan Baird and Stephen Means are talking about Ohio State linebackers after speaking with Buckeyes’ defensive coordinator and linebackers coach Jim Knowles and new OSU grad assistant James Laurinaitis last week. Covered in the three sections on this episode: * (0:30) How Knowles felt about his first year running the defense and what the focus will be in spring football * (25:20) The chances that young linebackers C.J. Hicks, Gabe Powers and Reid Carrico should get in the spring * (38:36) The role Laurinaitis should play in recruiting and ... might play in Michigan prep? Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Tuesday Buckeye Talk, Doug Lesmerises, Nathan Baird and Stephen Means continue to work their way through interviews with Ohio State assistant coaches and staffers last week, and up now is defensive line coach Larry Johnson and his room. First up (0:30), the guys talk about the 71-year-old Johnson, a legend as a college football assistant, and discuss what his future is in Columbus and how the Buckeyes are handling it. Then (22:42) it's onto the defensive ends, and how Johnson rotates his players and how much J.T. Tuimoloau and Jack Sawyer will play this season. Plus, will Sawyer still play that stand-up Jack position and move around the line, or will he be a pure defensive end with his hand on the ground? Finally (45:22) it's defensive tackle talk, plus a brief discussion of a defensive lineman who could be on the Marvin Harrison Jr. career trajectory. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Monday Buckeye Talk, Doug Lesmerises and Stephen Means are here to take rants from Ohio State text subscribers and discuss the state of Buckeye basketball, after Ohio State fell to 11-12 overall and 3-9 in Big Ten play with a loss to Michigan on Sunday. First (0:30), Doug and Stephen look at things on the horizon, including how the incoming recruiting class should affect the view of Chris Holtmann and whether Bronny James can come save the Buckeyes. Then (22:19) it's rants and talk about this edition of the Buckeyes, how Holtmann built the roster and why it's not working in what is looking like a season that will produce Ohio State's worst Big Ten record in 25 years. Finally ( 1:21:47) Doug wraps it up with some solo rants about what should be done, other coaches the Buckeyes should look at, how Gene Smith has handled this, and what Holtmann's future really is. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Friday Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com, Doug Lesmerises, Nathan Baird and Stephen Means open with what turns into a very long talk about the non-targeting call on Marvin Harrison Jr. in the Peach Bowl. This talk was spurred by Ryan Day revealing his conversations with officials about the call. Then the guys get into: Ohio State injuries for spring football Running backs coach Tony Alford and the running backs New tight ends coach Keenan Bailey Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Thursday Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com, Doug Lesmerises, Nathan Baird and Stephen Means are bursting with info after interviewing 13 Ohio State staff members on Wednesday as part of the late National Signing Day (even though the Buckeyes didn't add any recruits.) That group was head coach Ryan Day, all 10 assistants, plus recruiting coordinator Mark Pantoni and new defensive staffer James Laurinaitis. You'll hear more about all of those talks on future Buckeye Talk episodes. But for now, the guys focused on three areas: The discussion around Day maybe giving up play calling What to expect on the offensive line The quarterback battle to come in the spring Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Wednesday Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com, Ohio State text subscribers ask questions and Doug Lesmerises, Nathan Baird and Stephen Means answer them in not very rapid fashion. The topics include: The transfer cornerback Ohio State added Tuesday Roster numbers for each position The Jim Knowles defense in Year 2 Ohio State hiring James Laurinaitis Bones or no bones in your chicken of choice Is Ohio State really at an NIL disadvantage? Plus back scratching, Dawand Jones at the Senior Bowl, and more. Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Buckeye Talk unveils a new podcast form with this first episode in what is hoped to be a series of Buckeye Talk Legacy pods looking back on the careers of recent Ohio State stars. First up is quarterback C.J. Stroud, as Doug Lesmerises, Nathan Baird and Stephen Means talk through Stroud's arrival in Columbus and his three years in the program and two years as a starter. To help tell that story are clips from two Stroud interviews, one from February 2020 when he was an early enrollee freshman looking forward to his OSU career, and another from November 2022 when he was looking back and knowing that he was nearing the end of his OSU career. Along the way, Doug, Nathan and Stephen discuss these aspects of Stroud's career: How he got here Year 1 as a Buckeye Low Point High Point Turning Point What if he hadn't been a Buckeye Describe him in one word Did he exceed, meet or not quite reach expectations? Where he fits in Ohio State history We hope you enjoy our first Buckeye Talk Legacy attempt. Thanks as always for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Monday Buckeye Talk, Doug Lesmerises and Nathan Baird are back with a Monday Madness. That means talking Ohio State football, national college football, and a round of Whatcha' Watchin', Whatcha Eatin', Whatcha Thinkin'. First (0:30), Doug and Nathan look at the early national championship odds and how Ohio State fits in with Georgia, Alabama, Michigan and other national powers. Then (28:40) theres's a discussion of Miami firing former Michigan offensive coordinator Josh Gattis and what that tells us about the value of coordinators. Finally (47:30), it's food, Oscar talk and what Doug thinks of a player he covered decades ago getting elected to the Hall of Fame. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Friday Buckeye Talk, Doug Lesmerises is taking rants from Ohio State text subscribers. (Join by sending a text to 614-350-3315). Among the topics covered: Info to be gleaned from the looming OSU QB battle Putting Troy Smith and Terrelle Pryor in different offenses Will Buckeye tight ends have to block more? The week-long break Buckeye Talk took When Doug is a jerk How to embrace Joe Burrow as a Buckeye Concerns with the OSU turf How to better talk about injuries More Heisman tweaks Bloodlust lessons from the Georgia loss Hiring Oklahoma State assistants Solving load management And finally ... lots of horse riding reaction Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Thursday episode of Buckeye Talk, Doug Lesmerises wants to know -- Have you ever ridden a horse? But mostly Doug takes a long look at the 2014 Heisman Trophy race and what would have happened for Ezekiel Elliott if the voting was after the playoff, which it what Doug thinks should happen when the playoff moves to 12 teams in 2024. Would Elliott have won the 2014 Heisman if it was a postseason award, instead of voted on in December? As it happened, Elliott didn't even finish in the top 10. This episode is playing off the latest College Football Survivor Show, where Doug and and Shehan Jeyarajah debated this strenuously in a larger, general context. Check out that show wherever you listen to Buckeye Talk. Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Wednesday episode of Buckeye Talk, Doug Lesmerises, Nathan Baird and Stephen Means are breaking down Ohio State's defensive depth chart after doing the offensive depth chart on the Tuesday podcast. Once again, they reference their July 2021 podcast that predicted how good this 2023 team might be. First (0:30), they look at the defensive line. Then (26:43) it's time for the safeties, and then the cornerbacks. Finally (1:01:00) they get to the linebackers. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Buckeye Talk is back after a week away, and that means it's time to move on and dive into the 2023 college football season. To do that, Doug Lesmerises, Nathan Baird and Stephen Means look at the offensive depth chart for the fall. They also reference their July 2021 podcast that potentially projected the 2023 Buckeyes as a college football powerhouse. How much was right and wrong? First up (0:35) they look at the quarterback battle with Kyle McCord and Devin Brown and what might be happening if Quinn Ewers was still in Columbus. Then (30:25), they talk about what another year of C.J. Stroud would have been like, and then they move on to the offensive line for next season, where the Buckeyes have some holes to fill. Finally (1:20:12), it's time to talk tight end, receiver and running back. It's good to be back, and thanks as always for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ohio State football ended up right where it expected to be at the end of the season -- back in the College Football Playoff and going toe to toe with Georgia for a shot at the national championship. The route the Buckeyes took to the get there, especially as it pertained to offensive production, deviated from our expectations. Nathan, Doug and Stephen revisit their Mark It Down Monday statistical leaders prediction episode from last summer. Injuries derailed some predictions. Others were thrown off when new stars emerged. What did the final stat leaders tell us about what the Buckeyes will look like in 2023? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Friday Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com, Doug Lesmerises opens with a discussion of Brian Hartline's promotion to offensive coordinator at Ohio State. After that, it's rants. Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Thursday Buckeye Talk, Doug Lesmerises, Nathan Baird and Stephen Means are talking all about Ohio State quarterbacks in 2023 and the quarterbacks the Buckeyes will face in 2023. That includes: * Well, it’s not actually all quarterbacks, because the pod starts with OSU center Luke Wypler heading to the NFL Draft and Matthew Jones likely moving from right guard to center. * The recent history of Ohio State quarterbacks earning first-team Big Ten honors and a look at whether Kyle McCord or Devin Brown should do that again in 2023. * The rash of transfer quarterbacks in the Big Ten West and how good they might be. * The two five-star recruits expected to start for Michigan and Penn State in the Big Ten East. * The veteran quarterbacks at Notre Dame and Western Kentucky who could challenge Ohio State in non-conference play. It’s (almost) all 2023 quarterback talk, and thanks as always for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Tuesday/Wednesday Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com, Doug Lesmerises, Nathan Baird and Stephen Means react to Georgia's domination in the national title game from an Ohio State perspective. First, they run through a survey of OSU text subscribers about how that Georgia win made them feel, and what it said about Ohio State's future. Then, they congratulate the winner of the Buckeye Talk bowl pool. Then there's a discussion about the latest Buckeyes making NFL Draft decisions. Then it's onto where Ohio State finished in the final AP poll, how Nathan voted and Ohio State's streak of high AP finishes in the last two decades. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this late Monday Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com, Doug Lesmerises is here to bury Ohio State's loss to Georgia, even though it took him two-thirds of the way through the pod to realize that's what he was doing with this rants pod. To start, Doug puts all 26 Ohio State losses (not including the 7 losses in 2011) that he has covered into six different categories to figure out where the Georgia loss fits. He only has two other losses in its group. Then, a texter sends the 10 most-heartbreaking losses of his parents' lifetime and Doug runs through those to get more context on the Georgia loss. That's followed by a comparison of Urban Meyer's last four years and Ryan Day's first four years, and what Day may have learned from the end of this season. Finally, there are a few more heartfelt reactions from after the game, including one about a sick parents and another about taking your 11-year-old to a playoff game. To conclude the pod, Doug makes his national title game pick. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Friday Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com, Doug Lesmerises, Nathan Baird and Stephen Means are back to break down Ohio State's offense in the Buckeyes' 42-41 Peach Bowl College Football Playoff semifinal loss to Georgia. They did the same for the OSU defense on the previous episode of Buckeye Talk. The discussion starts (0:30) with the idea of Ohio State's five perfect drives against Georgia, and then moves into the limited use of the OSU run game. Then (17:55) it's a discussion of C.J. Stroud's big game. That's followed (29:14) but how the Buckeyes handled Georgia All-American defensive tackle Jalen Carter. Then comes talk (33:57) of the OSU receivers vs. the Georgia secondary. Miyan Williams talk (36:15) then pops in, before the guys start digging into every OSU drive (38:09). Marvin Harrison's injury and the targeting call that was reversed on the play gets an interlude (49:57) before things return (59:50) to Ohio State's final drives of the game. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER (1-800-426-2537) (IL/IN/LA/MI/NJ/PA/TN/WV/WY), 1-800-NEXT STEP (AZ), 1-800-522-4700 (CO/KS/NH), 888-789-7777/visit http://ccpg.org (CT), 1-800-BETS OFF (IA), 877-8-HOPENY/text HOPENY (467369) (NY), visit OPGR.org (OR), or 1-888-532-3500 (VA). 21+ (18+ NH/WY). Physically present in AZ/CO/CT/IL/IN/IA/KS/LA(select parishes)/MI/NH/NJ/ NY/OR/PA/TN/VA/WV/WY only. $200 in Free bets: New customers only. Min. $5 deposit. Min $5 bet. $200 issued as eight (8) $25 free bets. Bet must win. Ends 11/20/23 @ 11:59pm ET. Stepped Up SGP: 1 Token issued per eligible game. Opt in req. Min $1 bet. Max bet limits apply. Min. 3-leg. Each leg min. -300 odds, total bet +100 odds or longer. 10+ leg req. for 100% boost. Ends 1/8/23 @ 8pm ET. See eligibility & terms at sportsbook.draftkings.com/footballterms. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Thursday Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com, Doug Lesmerises, Nathan Baird and Stephen Means are looking back at Ohio State's defense vs. Georgia in their College Football Playoff semifinal. Was it better or worse than it seemed right after the game? First, (0:40) they talk about a defender lost and a defender added in the transfer portal. Then (13:15) they look at how the defensive line played and how often defensive coordinator Jim Knowles made aggressive play calls and how often he was more conservative. Lastly, (51:24) the big plays given by the Buckeyes are dissected to find which ones were great Georgia plays and which were issues with Ohio State. The next pod will do the same thing with the offense. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER (1-800-426-2537) (IL/IN/LA/MI/NJ/PA/TN/WV/WY), 1-800-NEXT STEP (AZ), 1-800-522-4700 (CO/KS/NH), 888-789-7777/visit http://ccpg.org (CT), 1-800-BETS OFF (IA), 877-8-HOPENY/text HOPENY (467369) (NY), visit OPGR.org (OR), or 1-888-532-3500 (VA). 21+ (18+ NH/WY). Physically present in AZ/CO/CT/IL/IN/IA/KS/LA(select parishes)/MI/NH/NJ/ NY/OR/PA/TN/VA/WV/WY only. $200 in Free bets: New customers only. Min. $5 deposit. Min $5 bet. $200 issued as eight (8) $25 free bets. Bet must win. Ends 11/20/23 @ 11:59pm ET. Stepped Up SGP: 1 Token issued per eligible game. Opt in req. Min $1 bet. Max bet limits apply. Min. 3-leg. Each leg min. -300 odds, total bet +100 odds or longer. 10+ leg req. for 100% boost. Ends 1/8/23 @ 8pm ET. See eligibility & terms at sportsbook.draftkings.com/footballterms. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Buckeye Talk episode for Monday evening/Tuesday morning, Doug Lesmerises, Nathan Baird and Stephen Means continue to react to Ohio State’s loss to Georgia in the College Football Playoff with the help of the results of a text subscriber survey. (Try the texts at 614-350-3315). Here's the rundown: Some brief news and a discussion of the fake punt Ohio State tried vs. Georgia (10:37) What if Ryan Day does give up play calling, as a report said he is considering? (51:28) Pondering C.J. Stroud and Jim Harbaugh working together in the NFL (1:02:27) The results of the texter survey, as the guys discuss how fans feel about the Buckeyes, the coaching and this season Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER (1-800-426-2537) (IL/IN/LA/MI/NJ/PA/TN/WV/WY), 1-800-NEXT STEP (AZ), 1-800-522-4700 (CO/KS/NH), 888-789-7777/visit http://ccpg.org (CT), 1-800-BETS OFF (IA), 877-8-HOPENY/text HOPENY (467369) (NY), visit OPGR.org (OR), or 1-888-532-3500 (VA). 21+ (18+ NH/WY). Physically present in AZ/CO/CT/IL/IN/IA/KS/LA(select parishes)/MI/NH/NJ/ NY/OR/PA/TN/VA/WV/WY only. $200 in Free bets: New customers only. Min. $5 deposit. Min $5 bet. $200 issued as eight (8) $25 free bets. Bet must win. Ends 11/20/23 @ 11:59pm ET. Stepped Up SGP: 1 Token issued per eligible game. Opt in req. Min $1 bet. Max bet limits apply. Min. 3-leg. Each leg min. -300 odds, total bet +100 odds or longer. 10+ leg req. for 100% boost. Ends 1/8/23 @ 8pm ET. See eligibility & terms at sportsbook.draftkings.com/footballterms. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this postgame Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com, Doug Lesmerises, Nathan Baird and Stephen Means are ringing in the New Year in the wee hours after Ohio State lost to Georgia 42-41 in a College Football Playoff semifinal in the Peach Bowl on Saturday night. The guys focus on three main areas, knowing there are many conversations ahead on later episodes to discuss every aspect of this game. Part 1: What this game means for the OSU program Part 2: (18:36) Why Ohio State lost and the specifics of what the Buckeyes did well and not so well Part 3: (1:05:59) Thinking about how fans will feel about this game Thanks as always for listening to Buckeye Talk. The season is over, but the pod will continue. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER (1-800-426-2537) (IL/IN/LA/MI/NJ/PA/TN/WV/WY), 1-800-NEXT STEP (AZ), 1-800-522-4700 (CO/KS/NH), 888-789-7777/visit http://ccpg.org (CT), 1-800-BETS OFF (IA), 877-8-HOPENY/text HOPENY (467369) (NY), visit OPGR.org (OR), or 1-888-532-3500 (VA). 21+ (18+ NH/WY). Physically present in AZ/CO/CT/IL/IN/IA/KS/LA(select parishes)/MI/NH/NJ/ NY/OR/PA/TN/VA/WV/WY only. $200 in Free bets: New customers only. Min. $5 deposit. Min $5 bet. $200 issued as eight (8) $25 free bets. Bet must win. Ends 11/20/23 @ 11:59pm ET. Stepped Up SGP: 1 Token issued per eligible game. Opt in req. Min $1 bet. Max bet limits apply. Min. 3-leg. Each leg min. -300 odds, total bet +100 odds or longer. 10+ leg req. for 100% boost. Ends 1/8/23 @ 8pm ET. See eligibility & terms at sportsbook.draftkings.com/footballterms. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Stephen Means, Doug Lesmerises and Nathan Baird are joined by Tyler Shoemaker as the quartet gives their final thoughts on Ohio State's College Football Playoff matchup against Georgia and provides their picks. With they go along with what many around the country as starting to believe, as the Bulldogs are seen as the overwhelming favorite, or will they pick the underdog Buckeyes? Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER (1-800-426-2537) (IL/IN/LA/MI/NJ/PA/TN/WV/WY), 1-800-NEXT STEP (AZ), 1-800-522-4700 (CO/KS/NH), 888-789-7777/visit http://ccpg.org (CT), 1-800-BETS OFF (IA), 877-8-HOPENY/text HOPENY (467369) (NY), visit OPGR.org (OR), or 1-888-532-3500 (VA). 21+ (18+ NH/WY). Physically present in AZ/CO/CT/IL/IN/IA/KS/LA(select parishes)/MI/NH/NJ/ NY/OR/PA/TN/VA/WV/WY only. $200 in Free bets: New customers only. Min. $5 deposit. Min $5 bet. $200 issued as eight (8) $25 free bets. Bet must win. Ends 11/20/23 @ 11:59pm ET. Stepped Up SGP: 1 Token issued per eligible game. Opt in req. Min $1 bet. Max bet limits apply. Min. 3-leg. Each leg min. -300 odds, total bet +100 odds or longer. 10+ leg req. for 100% boost. Ends 1/8/23 @ 8pm ET. See eligibility & terms at sportsbook.draftkings.com/footballterms. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Friday Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com, Doug Lesmerises is discussing rants from Ohio State text subscribers in preparation for Saturday's Peach Bowl College Football Playoff semifinal between the No. 4 Buckeyes and the No. 1 Gerogia Bulldogs. Among the topics covered: Whether the passion of Ohio State fans is on the line Is the Big Ten back? Bananas Does Ohio State seem tight? New Year's Eve conflicts Running back updates Just wanting Ohio State to not get blown out, cautious optimism, impending doom and every possible view of how the game might go and what it would mean for the program Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER (1-800-426-2537) (IL/IN/LA/MI/NJ/PA/TN/WV/WY), 1-800-NEXT STEP (AZ), 1-800-522-4700 (CO/KS/NH), 888-789-7777/visit http://ccpg.org (CT), 1-800-BETS OFF (IA), 877-8-HOPENY/text HOPENY (467369) (NY), visit OPGR.org (OR), or 1-888-532-3500 (VA). 21+ (18+ NH/WY). Physically present in AZ/CO/CT/IL/IN/IA/KS/LA(select parishes)/MI/NH/NJ/ NY/OR/PA/TN/VA/WV/WY only. $200 in Free bets: New customers only. Min. $5 deposit. Min $5 bet. $200 issued as eight (8) $25 free bets. Bet must win. Ends 11/20/23 @ 11:59pm ET. Stepped Up SGP: 1 Token issued per eligible game. Opt in req. Min $1 bet. Max bet limits apply. Min. 3-leg. Each leg min. -300 odds, total bet +100 odds or longer. 10+ leg req. for 100% boost. Ends 1/8/23 @ 8pm ET. See eligibility & terms at sportsbook.draftkings.com/footballterms. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Thursday Buckeye Talk, Doug Lesmerises, Nathan Baird and Stephen Means check in after talking to Ohio State defensive players and coaches and Georgia offensive players and coaches on Wednesday. The pod starts with an Ohio State injury update from a quick practice viewing, then (5:00) it's on to what happened at Georgia practice. The guys then dive into their interview with Ohio State defensive coordinator Jim Knowles (9:05). Then things move on (25:25) to a comparison of Georgia's offense to Michigan's offense. Georgia quarterback Stetson Bennett and Georgia offensive coordinator Todd Monken (33:00) then get an analysis, before a debate ensues (45:40) about what will be a tougher test for Ohio State -- the Georgia offense or Georgia defense? Finally, what was said by Ohio State defenders like Tommy Eichenberg, Lathan Ransom and Jack Sawyer is discussed (49:41). Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER (1-800-426-2537) (IL/IN/LA/MI/NJ/PA/TN/WV/WY), 1-800-NEXT STEP (AZ), 1-800-522-4700 (CO/KS/NH), 888-789-7777/visit http://ccpg.org (CT), 1-800-BETS OFF (IA), 877-8-HOPENY/text HOPENY (467369) (NY), visit OPGR.org (OR), or 1-888-532-3500 (VA). 21+ (18+ NH/WY). Physically present in AZ/CO/CT/IL/IN/IA/KS/LA(select parishes)/MI/NH/NJ/ NY/OR/PA/TN/VA/WV/WY only. $200 in Free bets: New customers only. Min. $5 deposit. Min $5 bet. $200 issued as eight (8) $25 free bets. Bet must win. Ends 11/20/23 @ 11:59pm ET. Stepped Up SGP: 1 Token issued per eligible game. Opt in req. Min $1 bet. Max bet limits apply. Min. 3-leg. Each leg min. -300 odds, total bet +100 odds or longer. 10+ leg req. for 100% boost. Ends 1/8/23 @ 8pm ET. See eligibility & terms at sportsbook.draftkings.com/footballterms. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Wednesday Buckeye Talk, Doug Lesmerises and Stephen Means share their thoughts after talking to Ohio State offensive players and coaches and Georgia defensive players and coaches on Tuesday. And, not surprisingly, Doug has a theory. Topics covered on this episode include: Chip Trayanum, Miyan Williams and the Ohio State running back situation (6:10) Kevin Wilson's career at Ohio State and how the OC is balancing his new role as Tulsa's head coach plus his duties with Ohio State (22:24) What playing indoors might mean for the Ohio State offense (39:00) Players to watch on the Georgia defense (50:10) How C.J. Stroud was feeling and thinking (58:34) What Ohio State needs from its defense Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER (1-800-426-2537) (IL/IN/LA/MI/NJ/PA/TN/WV/WY), 1-800-NEXT STEP (AZ), 1-800-522-4700 (CO/KS/NH), 888-789-7777/visit http://ccpg.org (CT), 1-800-BETS OFF (IA), 877-8-HOPENY/text HOPENY (467369) (NY), visit OPGR.org (OR), or 1-888-532-3500 (VA). 21+ (18+ NH/WY). Physically present in AZ/CO/CT/IL/IN/IA/KS/LA(select parishes)/MI/NH/NJ/ NY/OR/PA/TN/VA/WV/WY only. $200 in Free bets: New customers only. Min. $5 deposit. Min $5 bet. $200 issued as eight (8) $25 free bets. Bet must win. Ends 11/20/23 @ 11:59pm ET. Stepped Up SGP: 1 Token issued per eligible game. Opt in req. Min $1 bet. Max bet limits apply. Min. 3-leg. Each leg min. -300 odds, total bet +100 odds or longer. 10+ leg req. for 100% boost. Ends 1/8/23 @ 8pm ET. See eligibility & terms at sportsbook.draftkings.com/footballterms. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Tuesday Buckeye Talk, Nathan Baird and Stephen Means talk about the arrival of Ohio State at the Peach Bowl in Atlanta to face Georgia in a College Football Playoff semifinal. Doug, who is putting this podcast up, has no other information because he drove to Atlanta all day Monday and couldn't make the pod, and no one gave him any other specifics about the topics. So you can probably figure out the rest. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk! If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER (1-800-426-2537) (IL/IN/LA/MI/NJ/PA/TN/WV/WY), 1-800-NEXT STEP (AZ), 1-800-522-4700 (CO/KS/NH), 888-789-7777/visit http://ccpg.org (CT), 1-800-BETS OFF (IA), 877-8-HOPENY/text HOPENY (467369) (NY), visit OPGR.org (OR), or 1-888-532-3500 (VA). 21+ (18+ NH/WY). Physically present in AZ/CO/CT/IL/IN/IA/KS/LA(select parishes)/MI/NH/NJ/ NY/OR/PA/TN/VA/WV/WY only. $200 in Free bets: New customers only. Min. $5 deposit. Min $5 bet. $200 issued as eight (8) $25 free bets. Bet must win. Ends 11/20/23 @ 11:59pm ET. Stepped Up SGP: 1 Token issued per eligible game. Opt in req. Min $1 bet. Max bet limits apply. Min. 3-leg. Each leg min. -300 odds, total bet +100 odds or longer. 10+ leg req. for 100% boost. Ends 1/8/23 @ 8pm ET. See eligibility & terms at sportsbook.draftkings.com/footballterms. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Monday Buckeye Talk, Doug Lesmerises, Nathan Baird and Stephen Means are taking a quick look back before their podcast coverage begins from Atlanta for the Ohio State-Georgia matchup in the Peach Bowl. Buckeye Talk for the rest of the week will be coming to you from the College Football Playoff semifinal. But on this episode, Doug, Nathan and Stephen look back on three Mark It Down Monday predictions from the preseason. First, they discuss the absences of Jaxon Smith-Njigba and TreVeyon Henderson and whether they've been factored into the view of Ohio State's season enough. Then (11:20) it's a look at their College Football Playoff picks and where they were right and wrong. Next up (34:25) are their Heisman Trophy predictions and there they were right and wrong. Finally (54:44) it's the Ohio State players they predicted would be first-team All-Americans this season, and which ones they got right. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER (1-800-426-2537) (IL/IN/LA/MI/NJ/PA/TN/WV/WY), 1-800-NEXT STEP (AZ), 1-800-522-4700 (CO/KS/NH), 888-789-7777/visit http://ccpg.org (CT), 1-800-BETS OFF (IA), 877-8-HOPENY/text HOPENY (467369) (NY), visit OPGR.org (OR), or 1-888-532-3500 (VA). 21+ (18+ NH/WY). Physically present in AZ/CO/CT/IL/IN/IA/KS/LA(select parishes)/MI/NH/NJ/ NY/OR/PA/TN/VA/WV/WY only. $200 in Free bets: New customers only. Min. $5 deposit. Min $5 bet. $200 issued as eight (8) $25 free bets. Bet must win. Ends 11/20/23 @ 11:59pm ET. Stepped Up SGP: 1 Token issued per eligible game. Opt in req. Min $1 bet. Max bet limits apply. Min. 3-leg. Each leg min. -300 odds, total bet +100 odds or longer. 10+ leg req. for 100% boost. Ends 1/8/23 @ 8pm ET. See eligibility & terms at sportsbook.draftkings.com/footballterms. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's the last full Betting the Buckeyes episode of the season on Buckeye Talk, as Doug Lesmerises and Tyler Shoemaker go back to their regular-season formula for one last round of college football gambling advice. First, TShoe suggests another Ohio State bet, and guess what? It's familiar. The usual Buckeye angle is back for Ohio State vs. Georgia, and Doug and Tyler explain why. Then (16:12), it's to the New Year's Six Bowls. That means bets from both Tyler and Doug: Clemson-Tennessee in the Orange Bowl Alabama-Kansas State in the Sugar Bowl USC-Tulane in the Cotton Bowl Penn State-Utah in the Rose Bowl Michigan-TCU in a Fiesta Bowl playoff semifinal Ohio State-Georgia in a Peach Bowl playoff semifinal (although, FYI, they aren't ready to give their full picks in this one) Finally (43:47), TShoe offers one last best bet in another bowl game. And then Doug and Tyler talk about the arrival of legal sports gambling in Ohio on Jan. 1 and discuss the rise of sports betting and what it means for sports fans. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER (1-800-426-2537) (IL/IN/LA/MI/NJ/PA/TN/WV/WY), 1-800-NEXT STEP (AZ), 1-800-522-4700 (CO/KS/NH), 888-789-7777/visit http://ccpg.org (CT), 1-800-BETS OFF (IA), 877-8-HOPENY/text HOPENY (467369) (NY), visit OPGR.org (OR), or 1-888-532-3500 (VA). 21+ (18+ NH/WY). Physically present in AZ/CO/CT/IL/IN/IA/KS/LA(select parishes)/MI/NH/NJ/ NY/OR/PA/TN/VA/WV/WY only. $200 in Free bets: New customers only. Min. $5 deposit. Min $5 bet. $200 issued as eight (8) $25 free bets. Bet must win. Ends 11/20/23 @ 11:59pm ET. Stepped Up SGP: 1 Token issued per eligible game. Opt in req. Min $1 bet. Max bet limits apply. Min. 3-leg. Each leg min. -300 odds, total bet +100 odds or longer. 10+ leg req. for 100% boost. Ends 1/8/23 @ 8pm ET. See eligibility & terms at sportsbook.draftkings.com/footballterms. Thanks for listening to Betting the Buckeyes on Buckeye Talk all season. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Thursday Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com, Doug Lesmerises, Stephen Means and Nathan Baird react to Ohio State's 2023 signing class, which the Buckeyes locked in Wednesday. By average star rating, it is the No. 3 class in the 247sports.com composite rankings. Nineteen players signed, with the Buckeyes waiting on one more committed player they were expecting to land. To start off, the guys look at Ohio State's class ranking overall nationally, and then they dive into the 10 offensive players who signed with the Buckeyes. Then (56:10) it's to the other side of the ball and the nine players (and one more they were waiting on) for on defense. In the final segment (1:17:01) they look at the highly-rated recruits the Buckeyes went after and didn't sign, and discuss the effect of NIL on the class and how things might look for Ohio State recruiting in the future. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER (1-800-426-2537) (IL/IN/LA/MI/NJ/PA/TN/WV/WY), 1-800-NEXT STEP (AZ), 1-800-522-4700 (CO/KS/NH), 888-789-7777/visit http://ccpg.org (CT), 1-800-BETS OFF (IA), 877-8-HOPENY/text HOPENY (467369) (NY), visit OPGR.org (OR), or 1-888-532-3500 (VA). 21+ (18+ NH/WY). Physically present in AZ/CO/CT/IL/IN/IA/KS/LA(select parishes)/MI/NH/NJ/ NY/OR/PA/TN/VA/WV/WY only. $200 in Free bets: New customers only. Min. $5 deposit. Min $5 bet. $200 issued as eight (8) $25 free bets. Bet must win. Ends 11/20/23 @ 11:59pm ET. Stepped Up SGP: 1 Token issued per eligible game. Opt in req. Min $1 bet. Max bet limits apply. Min. 3-leg. Each leg min. -300 odds, total bet +100 odds or longer. 10+ leg req. for 100% boost. Ends 1/8/23 @ 8pm ET. See eligibility & terms at sportsbook.draftkings.com/footballterms. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Wednesday Buckeye Talk, welcome cleveland.com football film expert Lance Reisland to the show for the first time. Lance has appeared on Orange and Brown Talk to discuss the Browns many times, and has written film breakdowns on both the Buckeyes and Browns, but on this episode he joins Doug Lesmerises to discuss the Ohio State-Georgia matchup. The focus at the start of the pod is on the areas where Lance feels the Buckeyes can best attack Georgia's defense, and later, the talk turns to OSU defensive coordinator Jim Knowles and how aggressive he should be in this matchup, and what kind of coverage the Buckeyes should play. A former college quarterback and a high school head coach for more than two decades, Lance offers a great breakdown of this Peach Bowl College Football Playoff semifinal, and as always, thanks for listening. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER (1-800-426-2537) (IL/IN/LA/MI/NJ/PA/TN/WV/WY), 1-800-NEXT STEP (AZ), 1-800-522-4700 (CO/KS/NH), 888-789-7777/visit http://ccpg.org (CT), 1-800-BETS OFF (IA), 877-8-HOPENY/text HOPENY (467369) (NY), visit OPGR.org (OR), or 1-888-532-3500 (VA). 21+ (18+ NH/WY). Physically present in AZ/CO/CT/IL/IN/IA/KS/LA(select parishes)/MI/NH/NJ/ NY/OR/PA/TN/VA/WV/WY only. $200 in Free bets: New customers only. Min. $5 deposit. Min $5 bet. $200 issued as eight (8) $25 free bets. Bet must win. Ends 11/20/23 @ 11:59pm ET. Stepped Up SGP: 1 Token issued per eligible game. Opt in req. Min $1 bet. Max bet limits apply. Min. 3-leg. Each leg min. -300 odds, total bet +100 odds or longer. 10+ leg req. for 100% boost. Ends 1/8/23 @ 8pm ET. See eligibility & terms at sportsbook.draftkings.com/footballterms. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Tuesday Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com, Doug Lesmerises, Nathan Baird and Stephen Means are breaking down the matchup between the Ohio State defense and the Georgia offense. Don't miss the pod lat Friday when they did the Ohio State offense vs. the Georgia defense. First, they look at the Bulldogs that will matter most as Georgia moves the ball. Then (43:23), it's the OSU defenders that need to stand out as the Buckeyes try to slow down the Bulldogs. Finally (1:02:24), they look at how they think this matchup might go, and discuss how digging in on these rewatches affected their overall view of the game. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER (1-800-426-2537) (IL/IN/LA/MI/NJ/PA/TN/WV/WY), 1-800-NEXT STEP (AZ), 1-800-522-4700 (CO/KS/NH), 888-789-7777/visit http://ccpg.org (CT), 1-800-BETS OFF (IA), 877-8-HOPENY/text HOPENY (467369) (NY), visit OPGR.org (OR), or 1-888-532-3500 (VA). 21+ (18+ NH/WY). Physically present in AZ/CO/CT/IL/IN/IA/KS/LA(select parishes)/MI/NH/NJ/ NY/OR/PA/TN/VA/WV/WY only. $200 in Free bets: New customers only. Min. $5 deposit. Min $5 bet. $200 issued as eight (8) $25 free bets. Bet must win. Ends 11/20/23 @ 11:59pm ET. Stepped Up SGP: 1 Token issued per eligible game. Opt in req. Min $1 bet. Max bet limits apply. Min. 3-leg. Each leg min. -300 odds, total bet +100 odds or longer. 10+ leg req. for 100% boost. Ends 1/8/23 @ 8pm ET. See eligibility & terms at sportsbook.draftkings.com/footballterms. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dylan Raiola, the No. 1 quarterback recruit in the Class of 2024, decommitted from Ohio State over the weekend. On this Monday Buckeye Talk, Doug Lesmerises, Nathan Baird and Stephen Means are here to break down what that means for: The state of the Ohio State football program The Buckeyes' overall recruiting Their QB recruiting strategy The future of the OSU QB room There's a lot to discuss, and we're glad you're part of this Buckeye Talk episode from cleveland.com. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER (1-800-426-2537) (IL/IN/LA/MI/NJ/PA/TN/WV/WY), 1-800-NEXT STEP (AZ), 1-800-522-4700 (CO/KS/NH), 888-789-7777/visit http://ccpg.org (CT), 1-800-BETS OFF (IA), 877-8-HOPENY/text HOPENY (467369) (NY), visit OPGR.org (OR), or 1-888-532-3500 (VA). 21+ (18+ NH/WY). Physically present in AZ/CO/CT/IL/IN/IA/KS/LA(select parishes)/MI/NH/NJ/ NY/OR/PA/TN/VA/WV/WY only. $200 in Free bets: New customers only. Min. $5 deposit. Min $5 bet. $200 issued as eight (8) $25 free bets. Bet must win. Ends 11/20/23 @ 11:59pm ET. Stepped Up SGP: 1 Token issued per eligible game. Opt in req. Min $1 bet. Max bet limits apply. Min. 3-leg. Each leg min. -300 odds, total bet +100 odds or longer. 10+ leg req. for 100% boost. Ends 1/8/23 @ 8pm ET. See eligibility & terms at sportsbook.draftkings.com/footballterms. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Friday Buckeye Talk, Doug Lesmerises, Nathan Baird and Stephen Means are offering their first in-depth breakdown of the matchup in the Peach Bowl between the Ohio State Buckeyes and the Georgia Bulldogs. This one is Ohio State vs. Georgia defense. Ohio State defense vs. Georgia offense will be an episode next week. First up -- the Georgia defensive players that jump out, starting with All-American defensive tackle Jalen Carter. Then (41:49), a look at the Buckeyes that need to have big games on Dec. 31, starting with receiver Emeka Egbuka. Doug also reveals his secret plan suggestion for the Buckeyes in this section. Finally ((1:06:04), it's what the Buckeyes need to do to have a chance to pile up some points on the most talented defense in college football the last two years, and that leads to a long conversation about Ohio State quarterback C.J. Stroud. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ohio State football held its bowl season media day on Wednesday, which meant 20 Buckeyes were available for interviews, and Doug Lesmerises, Nathan Baird and Stephen Means were there to talk with them. And then Doug, Nathan and Stephen jumped on this Thursday Buckeye Talk episode to share the most interesting things they learned from Miyan Williams, C.J. Stroud, Jordan Hancock, Mike Hall Jr., Steele Chambers, Tommy Eichenberg, Zach Harrison, Ronnie Hickman, Marvin Harrison Jr. and more. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER (1-800-426-2537) (IL/IN/LA/MI/NJ/PA/TN/WV/WY), 1-800-NEXT STEP (AZ), 1-800-522-4700 (CO/KS/NH), 888-789-7777/visit http://ccpg.org (CT), 1-800-BETS OFF (IA), 877-8-HOPENY/text HOPENY (467369) (NY), visit OPGR.org (OR), or 1-888-532-3500 (VA). 21+ (18+ NH/WY). Physically present in AZ/CO/CT/IL/IN/IA/KS/LA(select parishes)/MI/NH/NJ/ NY/OR/PA/TN/VA/WV/WY only. $200 in Free bets: New customers only. Min. $5 deposit. Min $5 bet. $200 issued as eight (8) $25 free bets. Bet must win. Ends 11/20/23 @ 11:59pm ET. Stepped Up SGP: 1 Token issued per eligible game. Opt in req. Min $1 bet. Max bet limits apply. Min. 3-leg. Each leg min. -300 odds, total bet +100 odds or longer. 10+ leg req. for 100% boost. Ends 1/8/23 @ 8pm ET. See eligibility & terms at sportsbook.draftkings.com/footballterms. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Wednesday Buckeye Talk, Doug Lesmerises and Tyler Shoemaker from the Betting the Buckeyes weekly episode of Buckeye Talk are here to prepare you for your bowl pools, offering advice on the games in which you can have the most confidence. You could then use that advice in our Buckeye Talk Podcast bowl pool on ESPN's Bowl Mania. You can sign up here: tinyurl.com/3frh29hx. The group is private, though, and the password will be sent to Buckeye Talk text subscribers. You can get a two-week free trial as a text subscriber by texting 614-350-3315. Even if you don't plan to join a bowl pool, TShoe and Doug will give you a good overview of some of the most interesting bowls, with the first bowl game kicking off Friday night. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER (1-800-426-2537) (IL/IN/LA/MI/NJ/PA/TN/WV/WY), 1-800-NEXT STEP (AZ), 1-800-522-4700 (CO/KS/NH), 888-789-7777/visit http://ccpg.org (CT), 1-800-BETS OFF (IA), 877-8-HOPENY/text HOPENY (467369) (NY), visit OPGR.org (OR), or 1-888-532-3500 (VA). 21+ (18+ NH/WY). Physically present in AZ/CO/CT/IL/IN/IA/KS/LA(select parishes)/MI/NH/NJ/ NY/OR/PA/TN/VA/WV/WY only. $200 in Free bets: New customers only. Min. $5 deposit. Min $5 bet. $200 issued as eight (8) $25 free bets. Bet must win. Ends 11/20/23 @ 11:59pm ET. Stepped Up SGP: 1 Token issued per eligible game. Opt in req. Min $1 bet. Max bet limits apply. Min. 3-leg. Each leg min. -300 odds, total bet +100 odds or longer. 10+ leg req. for 100% boost. Ends 1/8/23 @ 8pm ET. See eligibility & terms at sportsbook.draftkings.com/footballterms. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Tuesday Buckeye Talk, Doug Lesmerises, Nathan Baird and Stephen Means are taking rapid fire questions from Ohio State football text subscribers. Among the topics covered: * A weird dream about the Buckeyes, Browns and Georgia * Paris Johnson Jr’s impact as a potential first-round pick * Are the Buckeyes their own worst enemy? * Comparing the 2020 Buckeyes to now * Would Georgia be a Kourt Williams game is he was healthy? * Who are the expected OSU starters vs. Georgia on both sides of the ball? * Still wondering why Dallan Hayden didn’t play more vs. Michigan * Are Doug, Nathan and Stephen fans of the Buckeyes? * What’s the latest with Ohio State’s attempts to flip Caleb Downs? * Diaper advice * Ryan Day and hiring assistants with not much outside experience * How did Jim Harbaugh improve at Michigan and what could be learned from it? Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER (1-800-426-2537) (IL/IN/LA/MI/NJ/PA/TN/WV/WY), 1-800-NEXT STEP (AZ), 1-800-522-4700 (CO/KS/NH), 888-789-7777/visit http://ccpg.org (CT), 1-800-BETS OFF (IA), 877-8-HOPENY/text HOPENY (467369) (NY), visit OPGR.org (OR), or 1-888-532-3500 (VA). 21+ (18+ NH/WY). Physically present in AZ/CO/CT/IL/IN/IA/KS/LA(select parishes)/MI/NH/NJ/ NY/OR/PA/TN/VA/WV/WY only. $200 in Free bets: New customers only. Min. $5 deposit. Min $5 bet. $200 issued as eight (8) $25 free bets. Bet must win. Ends 11/20/23 @ 11:59pm ET. Stepped Up SGP: 1 Token issued per eligible game. Opt in req. Min $1 bet. Max bet limits apply. Min. 3-leg. Each leg min. -300 odds, total bet +100 odds or longer. 10+ leg req. for 100% boost. Ends 1/8/23 @ 8pm ET. See eligibility & terms at sportsbook.draftkings.com/footballterms. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Monday episode of Buckeye Talk, Doug Lesmerises is back with rants covering three primary areas: First, his Heisman vote and why it was difficult, Lincoln Riley vs. Ryan Day quarterbacks and the Heisman, and how the Heisman Trophy could be fixed in future years. Then (20:45), it's a discussion about the latest Ohio State coaching move -- the promotion of Keenan Bailey to replace Kevin Wilson. Plus, a cake batter rant slips in there. Finally (40:20) it's a look at where Ohio State is right now in the Name, Image and Likeness world, and why fans might be frustrated about it. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER (1-800-426-2537) (IL/IN/LA/MI/NJ/PA/TN/WV/WY), 1-800-NEXT STEP (AZ), 1-800-522-4700 (CO/KS/NH), 888-789-7777/visit http://ccpg.org (CT), 1-800-BETS OFF (IA), 877-8-HOPENY/text HOPENY (467369) (NY), visit OPGR.org (OR), or 1-888-532-3500 (VA). 21+ (18+ NH/WY). Physically present in AZ/CO/CT/IL/IN/IA/KS/LA(select parishes)/MI/NH/NJ/ NY/OR/PA/TN/VA/WV/WY only. $200 in Free bets: New customers only. Min. $5 deposit. Min $5 bet. $200 issued as eight (8) $25 free bets. Bet must win. Ends 11/20/23 @ 11:59pm ET. Stepped Up SGP: 1 Token issued per eligible game. Opt in req. Min $1 bet. Max bet limits apply. Min. 3-leg. Each leg min. -300 odds, total bet +100 odds or longer. 10+ leg req. for 100% boost. Ends 1/8/23 @ 8pm ET. See eligibility & terms at sportsbook.draftkings.com/footballterms. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

C.J. Stroud is back in New York City this weekend as a Heisman Trophy finalist. How does being one of only three Ohio State players to twice finish in the top-four of the award's voting factor into his legacy? Can winning a national championship erase an 0-2 record against Michigan? Also, to whom is he passing the torch of being the next Buckeye to make it to the stage in New York? If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER (1-800-426-2537) (IL/IN/LA/MI/NJ/PA/TN/WV/WY), 1-800-NEXT STEP (AZ), 1-800-522-4700 (CO/KS/NH), 888-789-7777/visit http://ccpg.org (CT), 1-800-BETS OFF (IA), 877-8-HOPENY/text HOPENY (467369) (NY), visit OPGR.org (OR), or 1-888-532-3500 (VA). 21+ (18+ NH/WY). Physically present in AZ/CO/CT/IL/IN/IA/KS/LA(select parishes)/MI/NH/NJ/ NY/OR/PA/TN/VA/WV/WY only. $200 in Free bets: New customers only. Min. $5 deposit. Min $5 bet. $200 issued as eight (8) $25 free bets. Bet must win. Ends 11/20/23 @ 11:59pm ET. Stepped Up SGP: 1 Token issued per eligible game. Opt in req. Min $1 bet. Max bet limits apply. Min. 3-leg. Each leg min. -300 odds, total bet +100 odds or longer. 10+ leg req. for 100% boost. Ends 1/8/23 @ 8pm ET. See eligibility & terms at sportsbook.draftkings.com/footballterms. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Thursday Buckeye Talk, Doug Lesmerises, Nathan Baird and Stephen Means are drafting nine Ohio State players they think could show out during December practices and set themselves up for leaps in 2023 -- if not before. That means a lot of of young Buckeyes in here who haven't played much, but there's at least one very familiar player who could be looking for even more. The whole pod is the draft -- one through nine. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER (1-800-426-2537) (IL/IN/LA/MI/NJ/PA/TN/WV/WY), 1-800-NEXT STEP (AZ), 1-800-522-4700 (CO/KS/NH), 888-789-7777/visit http://ccpg.org (CT), 1-800-BETS OFF (IA), 877-8-HOPENY/text HOPENY (467369) (NY), visit OPGR.org (OR), or 1-888-532-3500 (VA). 21+ (18+ NH/WY). Physically present in AZ/CO/CT/IL/IN/IA/KS/LA(select parishes)/MI/NH/NJ/ NY/OR/PA/TN/VA/WV/WY only. $200 in Free bets: New customers only. Min. $5 deposit. Min $5 bet. $200 issued as eight (8) $25 free bets. Bet must win. Ends 11/20/23 @ 11:59pm ET. Stepped Up SGP: 1 Token issued per eligible game. Opt in req. Min $1 bet. Max bet limits apply. Min. 3-leg. Each leg min. -300 odds, total bet +100 odds or longer. 10+ leg req. for 100% boost. Ends 1/8/23 @ 8pm ET. See eligibility & terms at sportsbook.draftkings.com/footballterms. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Wednesday Buckeye Talk, Doug Lesmerises and Tyler Shoemaker bring you another Betting the Buckeyes, and this one uses some gambling numbers to analyze the playoff semifinal between Ohio State and Georgia. First, Doug and TShoe look at the betting lines for both College Football Playoff semis -- first Michigan-TCU, and then Ohio State-Georgia -- and then talk about the overall national title odds for all four teams. Then (21:25) they look at TShoe's power ratings for the Buckeyes and Bulldogs and how they compare to a year ago. Then Doug brings out some other numbers to analyze Ohio State and Georgia on both sides of the ball and get a sense for the matchup. For Tyler, in one way, this is No. 1 vs. No. 1. Finally (43:17), they run through their bets for the year and let you know how they did on their Power 5 conference picks, plus on Tyler's Best Bets, Upset Special and Ohio State Bet of the Week. Thanks as always for listening to Betting the Buckeyes on Buckeye Talk. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER (1-800-426-2537) (IL/IN/LA/MI/NJ/PA/TN/WV/WY), 1-800-NEXT STEP (AZ), 1-800-522-4700 (CO/KS/NH), 888-789-7777/visit http://ccpg.org (CT), 1-800-BETS OFF (IA), 877-8-HOPENY/text HOPENY (467369) (NY), visit OPGR.org (OR), or 1-888-532-3500 (VA). 21+ (18+ NH/WY). Physically present in AZ/CO/CT/IL/IN/IA/KS/LA(select parishes)/MI/NH/NJ/ NY/OR/PA/TN/VA/WV/WY only. $200 in Free bets: New customers only. Min. $5 deposit. Min $5 bet. $200 issued as eight (8) $25 free bets. Bet must win. Ends 11/20/23 @ 11:59pm ET. Stepped Up SGP: 1 Token issued per eligible game. Opt in req. Min $1 bet. Max bet limits apply. Min. 3-leg. Each leg min. -300 odds, total bet +100 odds or longer. 10+ leg req. for 100% boost. Ends 1/8/23 @ 8pm ET. See eligibility & terms at sportsbook.draftkings.com/footballterms. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Tuesday episode of Buckeye Talk Rants, Doug Lesmerises is covering four main topics off the top and then running through rants from text subscribers. First, (1:32) Jaxon Smith-Njigba's Ohio State career is officially over as the star receiver will not recover from his hamstring injury to be able to play in the Buckeyes' playoff semifinal against Georgia. Then (17:20), offensive coordinator Kevin Wilson is leaving to be the new head coach at Tulsa. What does that mean for the OSU coaching staff? Then (25:39), C.J. Stroud is one of four Heisman Trophy finalists. What did Doug think about during his voting process? Finally (45:10), hundreds of players went into the transfer portal on Monday. Could any of them interest the Buckeyes? With those topics done, Doug went through several rapid fire rants from fans, first with complaints about the pod (51:33), then about football (55:00). The last section (1:14:04) is fans sharing thoughts on the best way to emotionally handle a playoff spot after a Michigan loss. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER (1-800-426-2537) (IL/IN/LA/MI/NJ/PA/TN/WV/WY), 1-800-NEXT STEP (AZ), 1-800-522-4700 (CO/KS/NH), 888-789-7777/visit http://ccpg.org (CT), 1-800-BETS OFF (IA), 877-8-HOPENY/text HOPENY (467369) (NY), visit OPGR.org (OR), or 1-888-532-3500 (VA). 21+ (18+ NH/WY). Physically present in AZ/CO/CT/IL/IN/IA/KS/LA(select parishes)/MI/NH/NJ/ NY/OR/PA/TN/VA/WV/WY only. $200 in Free bets: New customers only. Min. $5 deposit. Min $5 bet. $200 issued as eight (8) $25 free bets. Bet must win. Ends 11/20/23 @ 11:59pm ET. Stepped Up SGP: 1 Token issued per eligible game. Opt in req. Min $1 bet. Max bet limits apply. Min. 3-leg. Each leg min. -300 odds, total bet +100 odds or longer. 10+ leg req. for 100% boost. Ends 1/8/23 @ 8pm ET. See eligibility & terms at sportsbook.draftkings.com/footballterms. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Ohio State Buckeyes are in the College Football Playoff, and on this Monday Buckeye Talk, Doug Lesmerises, Nathan Baird and Stephen Means are talking about the Buckeyes as the No. 4 seed against No. 1 Georgia and as underdogs after it looked like their season was over. The discussion turns to how this underdog roles compares to other OSU underdog moments of the past. In the back third of the pod, the guys run through a survey of text subscribers to figure out where fans are one week removed from the Buckeyes' loss to Michigan, with the Buckeyes now one of four teams with a shot at the national title, and with a potential rematch with Michigan in the national title game looming. You know what's in here -- it's playoff stuff. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER (1-800-426-2537) (IL/IN/LA/MI/NJ/PA/TN/WV/WY), 1-800-NEXT STEP (AZ), 1-800-522-4700 (CO/KS/NH), 888-789-7777/visit http://ccpg.org (CT), 1-800-BETS OFF (IA), 877-8-HOPENY/text HOPENY (467369) (NY), visit OPGR.org (OR), or 1-888-532-3500 (VA). 21+ (18+ NH/WY). Physically present in AZ/CO/CT/IL/IN/IA/KS/LA(select parishes)/MI/NH/NJ/ NY/OR/PA/TN/VA/WV/WY only. $200 in Free bets: New customers only. Min. $5 deposit. Min $5 bet. $200 issued as eight (8) $25 free bets. Bet must win. Ends 11/20/23 @ 11:59pm ET. Stepped Up SGP: 1 Token issued per eligible game. Opt in req. Min $1 bet. Max bet limits apply. Min. 3-leg. Each leg min. -300 odds, total bet +100 odds or longer. 10+ leg req. for 100% boost. Ends 1/8/23 @ 8pm ET. See eligibility & terms at sportsbook.draftkings.com/footballterms. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Utah beat USC on Friday night, in much the same way Michigan beat Ohio State last week. The result? The Ohio State Buckeyes are likely back in the College Football Playoff. With the way the selection committee described it last week, the Buckeyes were probably in with a USC loss, especially when the Trojans blew a 17-3 lead and fell 47-24, showing continued issues with their defense. The 11-1 Buckeyes aren't perfect, but they will almost certainly be the choice as the No. 4 seed in the playoff when the playoff bracket is announced Sunday. But you know that. On this emergency pod, you can talk along as Doug Lesmerises tells you things you already know. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER (1-800-426-2537) (IL/IN/LA/MI/NJ/PA/TN/WV/WY), 1-800-NEXT STEP (AZ), 1-800-522-4700 (CO/KS/NH), 888-789-7777/visit http://ccpg.org (CT), 1-800-BETS OFF (IA), 877-8-HOPENY/text HOPENY (467369) (NY), visit OPGR.org (OR), or 1-888-532-3500 (VA). 21+ (18+ NH/WY). Physically present in AZ/CO/CT/IL/IN/IA/KS/LA(select parishes)/MI/NH/NJ/ NY/OR/PA/TN/VA/WV/WY only. $200 in Free bets: New customers only. Min. $5 deposit. Min $5 bet. $200 issued as eight (8) $25 free bets. Bet must win. Ends 11/20/23 @ 11:59pm ET. Stepped Up SGP: 1 Token issued per eligible game. Opt in req. Min $1 bet. Max bet limits apply. Min. 3-leg. Each leg min. -300 odds, total bet +100 odds or longer. 10+ leg req. for 100% boost. Ends 1/8/23 @ 8pm ET. See eligibility & terms at sportsbook.draftkings.com/footballterms. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Friday edition of Betting the Buckeyes on Buckeye Talk, Doug Lesmerises and Tyler Shoemaker still have a lot to talk about with Ohio State football from a betting perspective, even though the Buckeyes aren't playing this weekend. Plus, they make their usual national picks. In the first segment (0:30), Doug and Tyler talk about why Ohio State's national title odds went way up after the Buckeyes lost to Michigan, then came back down after bettors started betting them. Now Ohio State is 10-1, and is that a good bet, given their chances of making the playoff? Plus, TShoe talks about what the lines might look like for an Ohio State-Michigan rematch, and an Ohio State-Georgia semifinal. Then (22:34), the guys make their picks for the conference championship games in the ACC, SEC, Big Ten, Big 12 and Pac-12. There are several games Doug and Tyler agree on, which might be bad for Tyler. Finally (41:42), TShoe has one best bet this week, and it's the MAC Championship. Then the advice centers on fighting the urge to bet more in a small week of games. Thanks for listening to Betting the Buckeyes on Buckeye Talk. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER (1-800-426-2537) (IL/IN/LA/MI/NJ/PA/TN/WV/WY), 1-800-NEXT STEP (AZ), 1-800-522-4700 (CO/KS/NH), 888-789-7777/visit http://ccpg.org (CT), 1-800-BETS OFF (IA), 877-8-HOPENY/text HOPENY (467369) (NY), visit OPGR.org (OR), or 1-888-532-3500 (VA). 21+ (18+ NH/WY). Physically present in AZ/CO/CT/IL/IN/IA/KS/LA(select parishes)/MI/NH/NJ/ NY/OR/PA/TN/VA/WV/WY only. $200 in Free bets: New customers only. Min. $5 deposit. Min $5 bet. $200 issued as eight (8) $25 free bets. Bet must win. Ends 11/20/23 @ 11:59pm ET. Stepped Up SGP: 1 Token issued per eligible game. Opt in req. Min $1 bet. Max bet limits apply. Min. 3-leg. Each leg min. -300 odds, total bet +100 odds or longer. 10+ leg req. for 100% boost. Ends 1/8/23 @ 8pm ET. See eligibility & terms at sportsbook.draftkings.com/footballterms. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Thursday episode, Buckeye Talk comes to you in three parts. First, Doug Lesmerises, Nathan Baird and Stephen Means talk about the Ohio State Buckeyes who made the All-Big Ten team, starting on the offensive side, then going (17:27) to defense, and then (35:45) looking at individual awards. Then Doug (42:42) goes through a few topics on his own, including Brian Hartline interviewing at Cincinnati. Finally, (58:47) Nathan and Stephen discuss Ohio State's playoff situation, which seems to be coming down to USC losing to Utah on Friday night. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER (1-800-426-2537) (IL/IN/LA/MI/NJ/PA/TN/WV/WY), 1-800-NEXT STEP (AZ), 1-800-522-4700 (CO/KS/NH), 888-789-7777/visit http://ccpg.org (CT), 1-800-BETS OFF (IA), 877-8-HOPENY/text HOPENY (467369) (NY), visit OPGR.org (OR), or 1-888-532-3500 (VA). 21+ (18+ NH/WY). Physically present in AZ/CO/CT/IL/IN/IA/KS/LA(select parishes)/MI/NH/NJ/ NY/OR/PA/TN/VA/WV/WY only. $200 in Free bets: New customers only. Min. $5 deposit. Min $5 bet. $200 issued as eight (8) $25 free bets. Bet must win. Ends 11/20/23 @ 11:59pm ET. Stepped Up SGP: 1 Token issued per eligible game. Opt in req. Min $1 bet. Max bet limits apply. Min. 3-leg. Each leg min. -300 odds, total bet +100 odds or longer. 10+ leg req. for 100% boost. Ends 1/8/23 @ 8pm ET. See eligibility & terms at sportsbook.draftkings.com/footballterms. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Wednesday Buckeye Talk, the call went out to Ohio State text subscribers to send in concrete suggestions that Ohio State could try to help the Buckeyes prepare for Michigan next season. From adding players to changing assistants to a different offensive focus to play calling responsibilities, Doug Lesmerises, Nathan Baird and Stephen Means ran through about 15 of the best and most interesting suggestions that were sent in. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER (1-800-426-2537) (IL/IN/LA/MI/NJ/PA/TN/WV/WY), 1-800-NEXT STEP (AZ), 1-800-522-4700 (CO/KS/NH), 888-789-7777/visit http://ccpg.org (CT), 1-800-BETS OFF (IA), 877-8-HOPENY/text HOPENY (467369) (NY), visit OPGR.org (OR), or 1-888-532-3500 (VA). 21+ (18+ NH/WY). Physically present in AZ/CO/CT/IL/IN/IA/KS/LA(select parishes)/MI/NH/NJ/ NY/OR/PA/TN/VA/WV/WY only. $200 in Free bets: New customers only. Min. $5 deposit. Min $5 bet. $200 issued as eight (8) $25 free bets. Bet must win. Ends 11/20/23 @ 11:59pm ET. Stepped Up SGP: 1 Token issued per eligible game. Opt in req. Min $1 bet. Max bet limits apply. Min. 3-leg. Each leg min. -300 odds, total bet +100 odds or longer. 10+ leg req. for 100% boost. Ends 1/8/23 @ 8pm ET. See eligibility & terms at sportsbook.draftkings.com/footballterms. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Tuesday Buckeye Talk, Doug Lesmerises took in everything Ohio State text subscribers had to offer for the last two days and decided on these 10 points to hit on this slightly different version of a rants pod: 6:30 -- Ohio State losing to Michigan for the first time in the social media age 18:22 -- Whether stability breeds winning, or winning breeds stability 21:42 -- Play calling issues for Ryan Day and Jim Knowles 45:30 -- Ryan Day in equal talent games 50:00 -- How Ryan Day is in the opposite place of Jim Tressel 58:21 -- The right balance of Ohio players on the roster 1:03:46 -- Is recruiting bringing in enough talent at all positions? 1:11:54 -- OSU fans eventually get mad at all coaches 1:19:11 -- This loss was worse because it was unexpected 1:23:37 -- Comparing Ryan Day to Mark Helfrich Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER (1-800-426-2537) (IL/IN/LA/MI/NJ/PA/TN/WV/WY), 1-800-NEXT STEP (AZ), 1-800-522-4700 (CO/KS/NH), 888-789-7777/visit http://ccpg.org (CT), 1-800-BETS OFF (IA), 877-8-HOPENY/text HOPENY (467369) (NY), visit OPGR.org (OR), or 1-888-532-3500 (VA). 21+ (18+ NH/WY). Physically present in AZ/CO/CT/IL/IN/IA/KS/LA(select parishes)/MI/NH/NJ/ NY/OR/PA/TN/VA/WV/WY only. $200 in Free bets: New customers only. Min. $5 deposit. Min $5 bet. $200 issued as eight (8) $25 free bets. Bet must win. Ends 11/20/23 @ 11:59pm ET. Stepped Up SGP: 1 Token issued per eligible game. Opt in req. Min $1 bet. Max bet limits apply. Min. 3-leg. Each leg min. -300 odds, total bet +100 odds or longer. 10+ leg req. for 100% boost. Ends 1/8/23 @ 8pm ET. See eligibility & terms at sportsbook.draftkings.com/footballterms. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Monday episode of Buckeye Talk, Doug Lesmerises and Nathan Baird are taking a bit of a step back from Ohio State's loss to Michigan to look at the Buckeyes in the national picture and to discuss Big Ten coaching. The pod will get back to what happened in The Game and the state of the rivalry in the next few days. Here, Doug and Nathan start by discussing if Ohio State could back into the College Football Playoff as a No. 4 seed and how the selection committee might view the Buckeyes vs. USC right now. Then (31:56) it's onto Big Ten coaching and the surprise hiring of Luke Fickell by Wisconsin. Who will be the best coaches in the Big Ten in two years? Where does Ryan Day fit? And, just to get a read on fans, texters were asked if they'd fire Day right now if they were in charge. Doug and Nathan discuss those survey results. Finally, (1:21:31) it's Whatcha Watchin', Whatcha Eatin' and Whatcha Thinkin' as Wakanda Forever, Thanksgiving food (again), Nathan's cough and if everyone will be happier in a 12-team playoff are discussed. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER (1-800-426-2537) (IL/IN/LA/MI/NJ/PA/TN/WV/WY), 1-800-NEXT STEP (AZ), 1-800-522-4700 (CO/KS/NH), 888-789-7777/visit http://ccpg.org (CT), 1-800-BETS OFF (IA), 877-8-HOPENY/text HOPENY (467369) (NY), visit OPGR.org (OR), or 1-888-532-3500 (VA). 21+ (18+ NH/WY). Physically present in AZ/CO/CT/IL/IN/IA/KS/LA(select parishes)/MI/NH/NJ/ NY/OR/PA/TN/VA/WV/WY only. $200 in Free bets: New customers only. Min. $5 deposit. Min $5 bet. $200 issued as eight (8) $25 free bets. Bet must win. Ends 11/20/23 @ 11:59pm ET. Stepped Up SGP: 1 Token issued per eligible game. Opt in req. Min $1 bet. Max bet limits apply. Min. 3-leg. Each leg min. -300 odds, total bet +100 odds or longer. 10+ leg req. for 100% boost. Ends 1/8/23 @ 8pm ET. See eligibility & terms at sportsbook.draftkings.com/footballterms. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this postgame edition of Buckeye Talk after Ohio State's 45-23 loss to Michigan, Doug Lesmerises, Nathan Baird and Stephen Means break down Ohio State's second straight loss in The Game and what it means for both programs. First (0:30), the discussion is about where Ohio State's defense failed against Michigan's offense. That includes the idea that the Wolverines were propelled by two players who could have been Buckeyes. Then (40:30), the discussion turns to the Ohio State offense, which scored just three points in the second half. From play calling to personnel, why didn't the Buckeyes score more? Included in that is a discussion (1:18:30) about whether Ryan Day should have gone for it on fourth-and-5 in the third quarter. The final discussion (1:37:49) is all about Day and where the coach and program go from here. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER (1-800-426-2537) (IL/IN/LA/MI/NJ/PA/TN/WV/WY), 1-800-NEXT STEP (AZ), 1-800-522-4700 (CO/KS/NH), 888-789-7777/visit http://ccpg.org (CT), 1-800-BETS OFF (IA), 877-8-HOPENY/text HOPENY (467369) (NY), visit OPGR.org (OR), or 1-888-532-3500 (VA). 21+ (18+ NH/WY). Physically present in AZ/CO/CT/IL/IN/IA/KS/LA(select parishes)/MI/NH/NJ/ NY/OR/PA/TN/VA/WV/WY only. $200 in Free bets: New customers only. Min. $5 deposit. Min $5 bet. $200 issued as eight (8) $25 free bets. Bet must win. Ends 11/20/23 @ 11:59pm ET. Stepped Up SGP: 1 Token issued per eligible game. Opt in req. Min $1 bet. Max bet limits apply. Min. 3-leg. Each leg min. -300 odds, total bet +100 odds or longer. 10+ leg req. for 100% boost. Ends 1/8/23 @ 8pm ET. See eligibility & terms at sportsbook.draftkings.com/footballterms. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this game preview edition of Buckeye Talk, Doug Lesmerises, Nathan Baird and Stephen Means dig in deep on the matchup between No. 2 Ohio State and No. 3 Michigan, while Michigan writer Aaron McMann stops by for a segment to lend his expertise. First, the guys start (0:45) on the Ohio State offense vs. the Michigan defense. Will C.J. Stroud provide some magic? Will Dallan Hayden carry the rushing load? And is the Michigan pass rush a problem? Then (40:43) it's a quick look at potential surprise players for The Game, as the guys give their choices. Then (47:54) it's Ohio State defense vs. Michigan offense. Will the Jim Knowles plan work? And might Michigan wind up relying on quarterback J.J. McCarthy more than ever? Then it's a visit from McMann (1:02:30), who provides a look at what Michigan might be like if star running back Blake Corum is out or severely limited. Finally (1:32:28), Doug, Nathan and Stephen make their picks for The Game. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER (1-800-426-2537) (IL/IN/LA/MI/NJ/PA/TN/WV/WY), 1-800-NEXT STEP (AZ), 1-800-522-4700 (CO/KS/NH), 888-789-7777/visit http://ccpg.org (CT), 1-800-BETS OFF (IA), 877-8-HOPENY/text HOPENY (467369) (NY), visit OPGR.org (OR), or 1-888-532-3500 (VA). 21+ (18+ NH/WY). Physically present in AZ/CO/CT/IL/IN/IA/KS/LA(select parishes)/MI/NH/NJ/ NY/OR/PA/TN/VA/WV/WY only. $200 in Free bets: New customers only. Min. $5 deposit. Min $5 bet. $200 issued as eight (8) $25 free bets. Bet must win. Ends 11/20/23 @ 11:59pm ET. Stepped Up SGP: 1 Token issued per eligible game. Opt in req. Min $1 bet. Max bet limits apply. Min. 3-leg. Each leg min. -300 odds, total bet +100 odds or longer. 10+ leg req. for 100% boost. Ends 1/8/23 @ 8pm ET. See eligibility & terms at sportsbook.draftkings.com/footballterms. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this week's version of Betting the Buckeyes on Buckeye Talk, Doug Lesmerises and Tyler Shoemaker are back to talk about Ohio State football and national college football from a betting perspective. First, (1:00) they discuss how to bet rivalries and how intangibles factor into a bet. Then they talk about the 7.5-point spread for Ohio State-Michigan and how much more Ohio State was favored by several weeks ago. Tyler gives his numbers for the game, and the guys agree on which side of the total they like, and Doug suggests a parley. Finally, TShoe suggests his Ohio State bet of the week. Then (17:38) it's onto the Power Five conferences with Doug and Tyler each making five bets there. Doug is very excited about his record last week. In the final segment (40:06), Tyler picks his upset special and gives out his three best bets of the week after going 3-0 on best bets last week. Then it's time for another gambling tidbit, and this one is a little more sophisticated. Thanks for listening to Betting the Buckeyes on Buckeye Talk. Disclamer: If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER (1-800-426-2537) (IL/IN/LA/MI/NJ/PA/TN/WV/WY), 1-800-NEXT STEP (AZ), 1-800-522-4700 (CO/KS/NH), 888-789-7777/visit http://ccpg.org (CT), 1-800-BETS OFF (IA), 877-8-HOPENY/text HOPENY (467369) (NY), visit OPGR.org (OR), or 1-888-532-3500 (VA). 21+ (18+ NH/WY). Physically present in AZ/CO/CT/IL/IN/IA/KS/LA(select parishes)/MI/NH/NJ/ NY/OR/PA/TN/VA/WV/WY only. $200 in Free bets: New customers only. Min. $5 deposit. Min $5 bet. $200 issued as eight (8) $25 free bets. Bet must win. Ends 11/20/23 @ 11:59pm ET. Stepped Up SGP: 1 Token issued per eligible game. Opt in req. Min $1 bet. Max bet limits apply. Min. 3-leg. Each leg min. -300 odds, total bet +100 odds or longer. 10+ leg req. for 100% boost. Ends 1/8/23 @ 8pm ET. See eligibility & terms at sportsbook.draftkings.com/footballterms. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Thanksgiving Buckeye Talk, Doug Lesmerises, Nathan Baird and Stephen Means are taking rapid fire questions from text subscribers about Ohio State football and the The Game. Among the topics covered: How should Ohio State rush JJ McCarthy? Will CJ Stroud remember Desmond Howard and take it out on Michigan? Tommy Eichenberg's broken hands Jaxon Smith-Njigba expectations How chippy will The Game be? Could Ohio State jump Georgia with a win? How does the media feel this week? Could Jayden Ballard play a role Saturday? Ryan Day can't overthink or be too conservative A draft of Thanksgiving side dishes How much would a loss set Michigan back? Should OSU fans rush the field with a win? What base was Jim Harbaugh born on? Would OSU fans accept a new version of The 10-Year War? Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com. And Happy Thanksgiving. Disclamer: If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER (1-800-426-2537) (IL/IN/LA/MI/NJ/PA/TN/WV/WY), 1-800-NEXT STEP (AZ), 1-800-522-4700 (CO/KS/NH), 888-789-7777/visit http://ccpg.org (CT), 1-800-BETS OFF (IA), 877-8-HOPENY/text HOPENY (467369) (NY), visit OPGR.org (OR), or 1-888-532-3500 (VA). 21+ (18+ NH/WY). Physically present in AZ/CO/CT/IL/IN/IA/KS/LA(select parishes)/MI/NH/NJ/ NY/OR/PA/TN/VA/WV/WY only. $200 in Free bets: New customers only. Min. $5 deposit. Min $5 bet. $200 issued as eight (8) $25 free bets. Bet must win. Ends 11/20/23 @ 11:59pm ET. Stepped Up SGP: 1 Token issued per eligible game. Opt in req. Min $1 bet. Max bet limits apply. Min. 3-leg. Each leg min. -300 odds, total bet +100 odds or longer. 10+ leg req. for 100% boost. Ends 1/8/23 @ 8pm ET. See eligibility & terms at sportsbook.draftkings.com/footballterms. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Wednesday episode of Buckeye Talk rants, Doug Lesmerises takes another list of rants from text subscribers (sign up for free texts at 614-350-3315) and runs through what's on the mind of Ohio State fans and what matters the most during Ohio State-Michigan week. Topics discussed include: How Jack Sawyer might be used Don't get trapped in a toughness battle Wishing The Game wasn't Thanksgiving week Cherishing the privilege of the game in what might be the last, best version of it Comparing Michigan to Tresselball Homefield for Ohio State How Doug says im-por-tant Divulging little tidbits about The Game Kicking off at noon Predicting this game would be 11-0 vs. 11-0 Paris Johnson getting just one year at left tackle Stop spoiling The College Football Survivor Show Ohio State's issue with delays of game Is Tim Walton the next Bill Davis? Does Ryan Day get too much criticism? Hating weather talk And more. Thanks as always for listening to Buckeye Talk. Disclamer: If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER (1-800-426-2537) (IL/IN/LA/MI/NJ/PA/TN/WV/WY), 1-800-NEXT STEP (AZ), 1-800-522-4700 (CO/KS/NH), 888-789-7777/visit http://ccpg.org (CT), 1-800-BETS OFF (IA), 877-8-HOPENY/text HOPENY (467369) (NY), visit OPGR.org (OR), or 1-888-532-3500 (VA). 21+ (18+ NH/WY). Physically present in AZ/CO/CT/IL/IN/IA/KS/LA(select parishes)/MI/NH/NJ/ NY/OR/PA/TN/VA/WV/WY only. $200 in Free bets: New customers only. Min. $5 deposit. Min $5 bet. $200 issued as eight (8) $25 free bets. Bet must win. Ends 11/20/23 @ 11:59pm ET. Stepped Up SGP: 1 Token issued per eligible game. Opt in req. Min $1 bet. Max bet limits apply. Min. 3-leg. Each leg min. -300 odds, total bet +100 odds or longer. 10+ leg req. for 100% boost. Ends 1/8/23 @ 8pm ET. See eligibility & terms at sportsbook.draftkings.com/footballterms. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Welcome back to a bonus Buckeye Talk, as Ohio State-Michigan week means a Tuesday pod when there usually isn't one. Doug Lesmerises kicks off this pod with his breakdown of the Wolverines, first discussing three aspects of Michigan's offense (1:30), then looking (18:53) at three parts of Michigan's defense. There will be a Michigan writer on the pod later this week, but this was a look at the Wolverines through the lens of the Buckeyes. Then, Doug is joined (28:06) by new cleveland.com writer Jimmy Watkins. His beat is rivalries and that means on his first day on the job Monday he was in Ann Arbor for Michigan interviews. He checks in with the vibe and news from Jim Harbaugh and Michigan players. Finally, (46:32), Nathan Baird has an interview with L. Jon Wertheim, one of the producers of a new documentary on the Ohio State-Michigan rivalry. Many more pods to come this week. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Disclamer: If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER (1-800-426-2537) (IL/IN/LA/MI/NJ/PA/TN/WV/WY), 1-800-NEXT STEP (AZ), 1-800-522-4700 (CO/KS/NH), 888-789-7777/visit http://ccpg.org (CT), 1-800-BETS OFF (IA), 877-8-HOPENY/text HOPENY (467369) (NY), visit OPGR.org (OR), or 1-888-532-3500 (VA). 21+ (18+ NH/WY). Physically present in AZ/CO/CT/IL/IN/IA/KS/LA(select parishes)/MI/NH/NJ/ NY/OR/PA/TN/VA/WV/WY only. $200 in Free bets: New customers only. Min. $5 deposit. Min $5 bet. $200 issued as eight (8) $25 free bets. Bet must win. Ends 11/20/23 @ 11:59pm ET. Stepped Up SGP: 1 Token issued per eligible game. Opt in req. Min $1 bet. Max bet limits apply. Min. 3-leg. Each leg min. -300 odds, total bet +100 odds or longer. 10+ leg req. for 100% boost. Ends 1/8/23 @ 8pm ET. See eligibility & terms at sportsbook.draftkings.com/footballterms. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Monday Buckeye Talk, Doug Lesmerises and Nathan Baird are thinking all about Ohio State vs. Michigan -- and maybe a little bit about Thanksgiving food. First, they offer an appreciation (4:30) for both the Buckeyes and Wolverines getting through the regular season undefeated so far to make this matchup happen. Then (9:20), they talk about the polls, where the Buckeyes have always been clearly ahead of the Wolverines. Then (14:03), it's back to the idea of both Ohio State and Michigan making the College Football Playoff, which is more real after Tennessee's loss. Then (26:36) the five best teams in the Big Ten are compared to the five best teams in the other major conferences to spark a discussion about quality depth and what's good and bad about it. Ryan Day's thoughts on Ohio State and Michigan maybe playing back-to-back games someday (41:56) are discussed, before a brief discussion about Iowa (50:28) taking control of the race in the Big Ten West. Finally, (52:54), it's Whatcha Thinkin', Eatin' and Watchin', where Doug has a theory about this more national version of The Game, and Thanksgiving plans are shared. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Disclamer: If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER (1-800-426-2537) (IL/IN/LA/MI/NJ/PA/TN/WV/WY), 1-800-NEXT STEP (AZ), 1-800-522-4700 (CO/KS/NH), 888-789-7777/visit http://ccpg.org (CT), 1-800-BETS OFF (IA), 877-8-HOPENY/text HOPENY (467369) (NY), visit OPGR.org (OR), or 1-888-532-3500 (VA). 21+ (18+ NH/WY). Physically present in AZ/CO/CT/IL/IN/IA/KS/LA(select parishes)/MI/NH/NJ/ NY/OR/PA/TN/VA/WV/WY only. $200 in Free bets: New customers only. Min. $5 deposit. Min $5 bet. $200 issued as eight (8) $25 free bets. Bet must win. Ends 11/20/23 @ 11:59pm ET. Stepped Up SGP: 1 Token issued per eligible game. Opt in req. Min $1 bet. Max bet limits apply. Min. 3-leg. Each leg min. -300 odds, total bet +100 odds or longer. 10+ leg req. for 100% boost. Ends 1/8/23 @ 8pm ET. See eligibility & terms at sportsbook.draftkings.com/footballterms. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this postgame Buckeye Talk, Doug Lesmerises, Nathan Baird and Stephen Means are in the Maryland press box to break down Ohio State's 43-30 win over the Terrapins on Saturday. But everything about this OSU win pointed toward what will now be a showdown of undefeated teams in a week, as both Ohio State and Michigan improved to 11-0. In the first segment, text subscribers share their level of confidence in the Buckeyes right now, while Doug, Nathan and Stephen break down the OSU run game and talk about the role freshman tailback Dallan Hayden could play next week. In the second segment (35:55), the talk turns to the Ohio State passing game, C.J. Stroud and the number of targets the receivers are getting. In segment three (47:54), it's on to the Ohio State and how much it can be trusted in a big game, and which defensive stars could show up next week. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com. Disclamer: If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER (1-800-426-2537) (IL/IN/LA/MI/NJ/PA/TN/WV/WY), 1-800-NEXT STEP (AZ), 1-800-522-4700 (CO/KS/NH), 888-789-7777/visit http://ccpg.org (CT), 1-800-BETS OFF (IA), 877-8-HOPENY/text HOPENY (467369) (NY), visit OPGR.org (OR), or 1-888-532-3500 (VA). 21+ (18+ NH/WY). Physically present in AZ/CO/CT/IL/IN/IA/KS/LA(select parishes)/MI/NH/NJ/ NY/OR/PA/TN/VA/WV/WY only. $200 in Free bets: New customers only. Min. $5 deposit. Min $5 bet. $200 issued as eight (8) $25 free bets. Bet must win. Ends 11/20/23 @ 11:59pm ET. Stepped Up SGP: 1 Token issued per eligible game. Opt in req. Min $1 bet. Max bet limits apply. Min. 3-leg. Each leg min. -300 odds, total bet +100 odds or longer. 10+ leg req. for 100% boost. Ends 1/8/23 @ 8pm ET. See eligibility & terms at sportsbook.draftkings.com/footballterms. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode of Betting the Buckeyes, Tyler Shoemaker and Doug Lesmerises talk about Ohio State football and national college football from a gambling perspective, as they always do. Doug has a microphone issue on this one, but TShoe is loud and strong and the content is great, so thanks for hanging in. First, they talk about Ohio State-Maryland, what Tyler's formula would set as the line for this game and how to adjust for teams that are sagging down the stretch. Then it's the Ohio State bet of the week and how a half-point move may or may not change the angle. Then (16:43), it's on to Power 5 picks, where, honestly, neither Doug nor TShoe has done that well this year. Why? Then it's picks on USC, Texas, Oklahoma State, Wake Forest, Purdue and other teams. Finally (38:14), TShoe gets into the weeds with his upset special and his three best bets, and he offers a tidbit of gambling advice. Thanks for listening to Betting the Buckeyes on Buckeye Talk. Disclamer: If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER (1-800-426-2537) (IL/IN/LA/MI/NJ/PA/TN/WV/WY), 1-800-NEXT STEP (AZ), 1-800-522-4700 (CO/KS/NH), 888-789-7777/visit http://ccpg.org (CT), 1-800-BETS OFF (IA), 877-8-HOPENY/text HOPENY (467369) (NY), visit OPGR.org (OR), or 1-888-532-3500 (VA). 21+ (18+ NH/WY). Physically present in AZ/CO/CT/IL/IN/IA/KS/LA(select parishes)/MI/NH/NJ/ NY/OR/PA/TN/VA/WV/WY only. $200 in Free bets: New customers only. Min. $5 deposit. Min $5 bet. $200 issued as eight (8) $25 free bets. Bet must win. Ends 11/20/23 @ 11:59pm ET. Stepped Up SGP: 1 Token issued per eligible game. Opt in req. Min $1 bet. Max bet limits apply. Min. 3-leg. Each leg min. -300 odds, total bet +100 odds or longer. 10+ leg req. for 100% boost. Ends 1/8/23 @ 8pm ET. See eligibility & terms at sportsbook.draftkings.com/footballterms. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Friday game preview edition of Buckeye Talk, Doug Lesmerises, Nathan Baird and Stephen Means make their picks for the Ohio State-Maryland game on Saturday. But first they discuss some interviews with Ty Hamilton and Dallan Hayden and share some news about Ohio State practicing in the snow and how C.J. Stroud looked this week. They also take several questions from text subscribers, including on: Marvis Harrison Jr. as a Heisman candidate The Jaxon Smith-Njigba outlook Overlooking Taron Vincent Lathan Ransom's style of play How they talk about Ryan Day and what angered some listeners Some thoughts on the pod Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com. Disclamer: If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER (1-800-426-2537) (IL/IN/LA/MI/NJ/PA/TN/WV/WY), 1-800-NEXT STEP (AZ), 1-800-522-4700 (CO/KS/NH), 888-789-7777/visit http://ccpg.org (CT), 1-800-BETS OFF (IA), 877-8-HOPENY/text HOPENY (467369) (NY), visit OPGR.org (OR), or 1-888-532-3500 (VA). 21+ (18+ NH/WY). Physically present in AZ/CO/CT/IL/IN/IA/KS/LA(select parishes)/MI/NH/NJ/ NY/OR/PA/TN/VA/WV/WY only. $200 in Free bets: New customers only. Min. $5 deposit. Min $5 bet. $200 issued as eight (8) $25 free bets. Bet must win. Ends 11/20/23 @ 11:59pm ET. Stepped Up SGP: 1 Token issued per eligible game. Opt in req. Min $1 bet. Max bet limits apply. Min. 3-leg. Each leg min. -300 odds, total bet +100 odds or longer. 10+ leg req. for 100% boost. Ends 1/8/23 @ 8pm ET. See eligibility & terms at sportsbook.draftkings.com/footballterms. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Thursday Buckeye Talk, Doug Lesmerises is sorry the rants took so long this week, but they're finally here. Topics covered include, in order: What's affecting the national view of Ohio State? Josh Fryar ready to help Up-tempo offense A lack of Heisman interest Hospital food Football in context A Block O moment Angering Iowa C.J. Stroud picking a challenge The wrong shade of scarlet College hoops interest in November Reacting to big plays James Franklin and Chris Holtmann Ohio State's injuries Thanks as always for listening to Buckeye Talk. Disclamer: If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER (1-800-426-2537) (IL/IN/LA/MI/NJ/PA/TN/WV/WY), 1-800-NEXT STEP (AZ), 1-800-522-4700 (CO/KS/NH), 888-789-7777/visit http://ccpg.org (CT), 1-800-BETS OFF (IA), 877-8-HOPENY/text HOPENY (467369) (NY), visit OPGR.org (OR), or 1-888-532-3500 (VA). 21+ (18+ NH/WY). Physically present in AZ/CO/CT/IL/IN/IA/KS/LA(select parishes)/MI/NH/NJ/ NY/OR/PA/TN/VA/WV/WY only. $200 in Free bets: New customers only. Min. $5 deposit. Min $5 bet. $200 issued as eight (8) $25 free bets. Bet must win. Ends 11/20/23 @ 11:59pm ET. Stepped Up SGP: 1 Token issued per eligible game. Opt in req. Min $1 bet. Max bet limits apply. Min. 3-leg. Each leg min. -300 odds, total bet +100 odds or longer. 10+ leg req. for 100% boost. Ends 1/8/23 @ 8pm ET. See eligibility & terms at sportsbook.draftkings.com/footballterms. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Monday Buckeye Talk, Doug Lesmerises and Nathan Baird are here to: Break down the Heisman Trophy race (1:15) and where Ohio State quarterback C.J. Stroud stands in it. What one other player has the best chance to derail Stroud's Heisman path, and what are the numbers inside the race? Then (40:40) it's a look at the Big Ten West battle and what would have happened if the Big Ten had already done away with divisions like the Pac-12. Finally it's time for (1:01:49) Whatcha Watchin', Whatcha Eatin' and Whatcha Thinkin' with a look at TBDBITL through fresh eyes, Unsolved Mysteries, bass clarinets and crypto. Disclamer: If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER (1-800-426-2537) (IL/IN/LA/MI/NJ/PA/TN/WV/WY), 1-800-NEXT STEP (AZ), 1-800-522-4700 (CO/KS/NH), 888-789-7777/visit http://ccpg.org (CT), 1-800-BETS OFF (IA), 877-8-HOPENY/text HOPENY (467369) (NY), visit OPGR.org (OR), or 1-888-532-3500 (VA). 21+ (18+ NH/WY). Physically present in AZ/CO/CT/IL/IN/IA/KS/LA(select parishes)/MI/NH/NJ/ NY/OR/PA/TN/VA/WV/WY only. $200 in Free bets: New customers only. Min. $5 deposit. Min $5 bet. $200 issued as eight (8) $25 free bets. Bet must win. Ends 11/20/23 @ 11:59pm ET. Stepped Up SGP: 1 Token issued per eligible game. Opt in req. Min $1 bet. Max bet limits apply. Min. 3-leg. Each leg min. -300 odds, total bet +100 odds or longer. 10+ leg req. for 100% boost. Ends 1/8/23 @ 8pm ET. See eligibility & terms at sportsbook.draftkings.com/footballterms. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this postgame Buckeye Talk, Doug Lesmerises, Stephen Means and Nathan Baird break down Ohio State's 56-14 win over Indiana. To open, did someone pick the score exactly right? Huh. Weird. Then, should the postgame pods be more raw? (2:45) How did it feel for Nathan, who was sick, to watch the game at home? (4:43) Then, a dive into the OSU short-yardage issues. (7:48) Then a deeper look at the running back injuries for the Buckeyes. (30:30) Then how bad Indiana football is right now. (42:00) Then a reason to subscribe to the texts. (52:04) A look at how the cornerbacks played and what the rotation might be in the future. (54:38) How Josh Fryar did starting at right tackle and what it means. (1:00:10) The defensive line rotation. (1:03:43) Marvin Harrison Jr. is wild. (1:08:40) The C.J. Stroud and Kam Babb connection and Babb's big moment after his touchdown. (1:11:00) Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com. Disclamer: If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER (1-800-426-2537) (IL/IN/LA/MI/NJ/PA/TN/WV/WY), 1-800-NEXT STEP (AZ), 1-800-522-4700 (CO/KS/NH), 888-789-7777/visit http://ccpg.org (CT), 1-800-BETS OFF (IA), 877-8-HOPENY/text HOPENY (467369) (NY), visit OPGR.org (OR), or 1-888-532-3500 (VA). 21+ (18+ NH/WY). Physically present in AZ/CO/CT/IL/IN/IA/KS/LA(select parishes)/MI/NH/NJ/ NY/OR/PA/TN/VA/WV/WY only. $200 in Free bets: New customers only. Min. $5 deposit. Min $5 bet. $200 issued as eight (8) $25 free bets. Bet must win. Ends 11/20/23 @ 11:59pm ET. Stepped Up SGP: 1 Token issued per eligible game. Opt in req. Min $1 bet. Max bet limits apply. Min. 3-leg. Each leg min. -300 odds, total bet +100 odds or longer. 10+ leg req. for 100% boost. Ends 1/8/23 @ 8pm ET. See eligibility & terms at sportsbook.draftkings.com/footballterms. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Friday Buckeye Talk, Betting the Buckeyes is back after a week off. That means Doug Lesmerises and Tyler Shoemaker are discussing Ohio State and national college football from a gambling perspective. In the first segment, TShoe and Doug scout out an Ohio State bet of the week and talk about how to bet in bad weather, like the Buckeyes faced last week. Then the middle segment has their picks from the Power 5 conferences, with playoff contenders Georgia, Tennessee, Oregon and TCU all in the gambling mix. Then it's the final segment and the upset pick of the week, as well as TShoe's three best bets. Finally, the advice tidbit is Doug asking Tyler how to handle parlay bets, because Doug recently lost one and it made him mad. Thanks for listening to Betting the Buckeyes on Buckeye Talk. Disclamer: If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER (1-800-426-2537) (IL/IN/LA/MI/NJ/PA/TN/WV/WY), 1-800-NEXT STEP (AZ), 1-800-522-4700 (CO/KS/NH), 888-789-7777/visit http://ccpg.org (CT), 1-800-BETS OFF (IA), 877-8-HOPENY/text HOPENY (467369) (NY), visit OPGR.org (OR), or 1-888-532-3500 (VA). 21+ (18+ NH/WY). Physically present in AZ/CO/CT/IL/IN/IA/KS/LA(select parishes)/MI/NH/NJ/ NY/OR/PA/TN/VA/WV/WY only. $200 in Free bets: New customers only. Min. $5 deposit. Min $5 bet. $200 issued as eight (8) $25 free bets. Bet must win. Ends 11/20/23 @ 11:59pm ET. Stepped Up SGP: 1 Token issued per eligible game. Opt in req. Min $1 bet. Max bet limits apply. Min. 3-leg. Each leg min. -300 odds, total bet +100 odds or longer. 10+ leg req. for 100% boost. Ends 1/8/23 @ 8pm ET. See eligibility & terms at sportsbook.draftkings.com/footballterms. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Friday game preview Buckeye Talk, Doug Lesmerises, Nathan Baird and Stephen Means make their picks for Ohio State hosting Indiana on Saturday, with the Buckeyes favored by 39.5 points. But first, because they are expecting a blowout, they take questions on a variety of topics, including: Is Ohio State now a defense-first team? What's with the defensive line rotation? Keeping listeners sane Advice for a first OSU game Receiver drops C.J. Stroud running the ball Kyle McCord playing time Why the offense seems like it's getting worse Comparing OSU to Michigan running backs What texters say about their balance of football and men's basketball passion And then they make their picks for the game. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com. Disclamer: If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER (1-800-426-2537) (IL/IN/LA/MI/NJ/PA/TN/WV/WY), 1-800-NEXT STEP (AZ), 1-800-522-4700 (CO/KS/NH), 888-789-7777/visit http://ccpg.org (CT), 1-800-BETS OFF (IA), 877-8-HOPENY/text HOPENY (467369) (NY), visit OPGR.org (OR), or 1-888-532-3500 (VA). 21+ (18+ NH/WY). Physically present in AZ/CO/CT/IL/IN/IA/KS/LA(select parishes)/MI/NH/NJ/ NY/OR/PA/TN/VA/WV/WY only. $200 in Free bets: New customers only. Min. $5 deposit. Min $5 bet. $200 issued as eight (8) $25 free bets. Bet must win. Ends 11/20/23 @ 11:59pm ET. Stepped Up SGP: 1 Token issued per eligible game. Opt in req. Min $1 bet. Max bet limits apply. Min. 3-leg. Each leg min. -300 odds, total bet +100 odds or longer. 10+ leg req. for 100% boost. Ends 1/8/23 @ 8pm ET. See eligibility & terms at sportsbook.draftkings.com/footballterms. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This Thursday Buckeye Talk episode is homework that nobody actually wanted. Doug Lesmerises, Nathan Baird and Stephen Means created their own Big Ten fan satisfaction rankings for each of the 14 schools, combining how good the schools are at football and men's basketball and how much fans care about each of the two programs. The formula is this: Each school was broken into two percentages that equal 100 to show how much football matters at that school compared to men's basketball. A school might be an even 50-50, or it might be 90 football and 10 men's basketball, or 75 men's basketball and 25 football. That's a way of showing how much fans care about each of those two sports compared to each other. Then, each of the 28 football and men's basketball teams was ranked on a scale of 1 to 14, with 1 being very unsatisfied and 14 being completely happy. Each of those rankings was then multiplied by the caring percent. And then the two numbers were added together to get that schools satisfaction rating. For instance, a team given an 8 in men's basketball that had a 40 percent care rating for basketball would get 320 points, and then a 6 in football for a 60 percent care rating would create 360 points, and overall, that team's satisfaction number would be 680. See!? It's a math podcast! Doug, Nathan and Stephen talk it out and reveal their 1-14 rankings. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Disclaimer: If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER (1-800-426-2537) (IL/IN/LA/MI/NJ/PA/TN/WV/WY), 1-800-NEXT STEP (AZ), 1-800-522-4700 (CO/KS/NH), 888-789-7777/visit http://ccpg.org (CT), 1-800-BETS OFF (IA), 877-8-HOPENY/text HOPENY (467369) (NY), visit OPGR.org (OR), or 1-888-532-3500 (VA). 21+ (18+ NH/WY). Physically present in AZ/CO/CT/IL/IN/IA/KS/LA(select parishes)/MI/NH/NJ/ NY/OR/PA/TN/VA/WV/WY only. $200 in Free bets: New customers only. Min. $5 deposit. Min $5 bet. $200 issued as eight (8) $25 free bets. Bet must win. Ends 11/20/23 @ 11:59pm ET. Stepped Up SGP: 1 Token issued per eligible game. Opt in req. Min $1 bet. Max bet limits apply. Min. 3-leg. Each leg min. -300 odds, total bet +100 odds or longer. 10+ leg req. for 100% boost. Ends 1/8/23 @ 8pm ET. See eligibility & terms at sportsbook.draftkings.com/footballterms. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Wednesday Buckeye Talk, Doug Lesmerises is taking rants and strong takes from Ohio State text subscribers and then talking them out. The topics covered, in order: Whether Ohio State is the Kansas City Chiefs and all the issues that go into trusting the Buckeyes or not The lack of running backs getting in the groove, why short yardsage is the real run game issue The idea of the Buckeyes needing a humbling loss Eating Chili's in the basement Showering at night or in the morning Getting sick of the soft label Should Ohio State actually be an underdog to Michigan? Are the right five guys playing on the offensive line? Birthday parties at McDonald's Michigan struggled for a half vs. Rutgers Listening to Buckeye Talk during marathon training A baseball comparison The Buckeyes lacking one thing each year Issues with our OSU YouTube videos Apples taste good Fans having trouble enjoying this season and what might change that This pod was a little scattered -- Buckeye Talk. So thanks as always for listening. Disclamer: If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER (1-800-426-2537) (IL/IN/LA/MI/NJ/PA/TN/WV/WY), 1-800-NEXT STEP (AZ), 1-800-522-4700 (CO/KS/NH), 888-789-7777/visit http://ccpg.org (CT), 1-800-BETS OFF (IA), 877-8-HOPENY/text HOPENY (467369) (NY), visit OPGR.org (OR), or 1-888-532-3500 (VA). 21+ (18+ NH/WY). Physically present in AZ/CO/CT/IL/IN/IA/KS/LA(select parishes)/MI/NH/NJ/ NY/OR/PA/TN/VA/WV/WY only. $200 in Free bets: New customers only. Min. $5 deposit. Min $5 bet. $200 issued as eight (8) $25 free bets. Bet must win. Ends 11/20/23 @ 11:59pm ET. Stepped Up SGP: 1 Token issued per eligible game. Opt in req. Min $1 bet. Max bet limits apply. Min. 3-leg. Each leg min. -300 odds, total bet +100 odds or longer. 10+ leg req. for 100% boost. Ends 1/8/23 @ 8pm ET. See eligibility & terms at sportsbook.draftkings.com/footballterms. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ohio State basketball opened the season with a 91-53 win over Robert Morris on Monday night, and on this Tuesday Buckeye Talk, Doug Lesmerises and Stephen Means are using that first win to inform their discussion about what this 2022-23 season might be like for the basketball Buckeyes. Three new transfers and four true freshmen were part of the nine-man rotation in the opener, which was a sign of things to come. The breakdown of this episode: * A look at the transfers and a discussion of expectations for this season (0:30). * Rapid fire analysis of all 10 players who could be part of Ohio State’s rotation (17:05). * The early OSU schedule and the strength/weakness of the Big Ten and what it all means for the OSU season (35:30). Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Back to football talk on Wednesday. Disclamer: If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER (1-800-426-2537) (IL/IN/LA/MI/NJ/PA/TN/WV/WY), 1-800-NEXT STEP (AZ), 1-800-522-4700 (CO/KS/NH), 888-789-7777/visit http://ccpg.org (CT), 1-800-BETS OFF (IA), 877-8-HOPENY/text HOPENY (467369) (NY), visit OPGR.org (OR), or 1-888-532-3500 (VA). 21+ (18+ NH/WY). Physically present in AZ/CO/CT/IL/IN/IA/KS/LA(select parishes)/MI/NH/NJ/ NY/OR/PA/TN/VA/WV/WY only. $200 in Free bets: New customers only. Min. $5 deposit. Min $5 bet. $200 issued as eight (8) $25 free bets. Bet must win. Ends 11/20/23 @ 11:59pm ET. Stepped Up SGP: 1 Token issued per eligible game. Opt in req. Min $1 bet. Max bet limits apply. Min. 3-leg. Each leg min. -300 odds, total bet +100 odds or longer. 10+ leg req. for 100% boost. Ends 1/8/23 @ 8pm ET. See eligibility & terms at sportsbook.draftkings.com/footballterms. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Monday Buckeye Talk, Doug Lesmerises and Nathan Baird are talking about the Ohio State Buckeyes on the national scene, and diving back into a part of Ohio State’s game Saturday. This episode: * The Georgia-Tennessee game and what it meant for Ohio State (1:19) * Clemson and Alabama lose and create a shakeup in the playoff race -- what does it mean for the Big Ten? (14:45) * Illinois loses and the Big Ten West race gets messier (31:33) * Another look at the OSU run game from Saturday, and when the Buckeyes won and lost their battles up front (41:28) * Whatcha Watchin’, Whatcha Eatin’, Whatcha Thinkin’, including Doug’s latest experience with getting hypnotized (53:25) * A final discussion of Ohio State’s reality of potentially needing two styles of offense (1:12:19) Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Disclamer: If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER (1-800-426-2537) (IL/IN/LA/MI/NJ/PA/TN/WV/WY), 1-800-NEXT STEP (AZ), 1-800-522-4700 (CO/KS/NH), 888-789-7777/visit http://ccpg.org (CT), 1-800-BETS OFF (IA), 877-8-HOPENY/text HOPENY (467369) (NY), visit OPGR.org (OR), or 1-888-532-3500 (VA). 21+ (18+ NH/WY). Physically present in AZ/CO/CT/IL/IN/IA/KS/LA(select parishes)/MI/NH/NJ/ NY/OR/PA/TN/VA/WV/WY only. $200 in Free bets: New customers only. Min. $5 deposit. Min $5 bet. $200 issued as eight (8) $25 free bets. Bet must win. Ends 11/20/23 @ 11:59pm ET. Stepped Up SGP: 1 Token issued per eligible game. Opt in req. Min $1 bet. Max bet limits apply. Min. 3-leg. Each leg min. -300 odds, total bet +100 odds or longer. 10+ leg req. for 100% boost. Ends 1/8/23 @ 8pm ET. See eligibility & terms at sportsbook.draftkings.com/footballterms. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this postgame Buckeye Talk from Evanston, Ill., Doug Lesmerises, Nathan Baird and Stephen Means dig into Ohio State's 21-7 win over Northwestern. The Buckeyes said they had never played in wind like that, but why wasn't Ohio State able to run the ball earlier, even in very rough conditions? That is discussed at length, as is what worked and didn't work in the passing game, how the OSU defense held up and held down the Wildcats, and more. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this game preview Buckeye Talk, Doug Lesmerises, Nathan Baird and Stephen Means are here to break down Ohio State at Northwestern on Saturday. No gambling pod this week, so this is the only Buckeye Talk that will appear in your Friday feed. The breakdown: How bad weather may affect the game (0:20) Denzel Burke and the OSU cornerbacks (7:16) Defensive tackle Mike Hall's emergence (14:49) Defensive tackle Tyleik Williams coming off a big game (19:08) The health of running back Miyan Williams (23:52) A new long snapper (27:38) Really good left tackles the last two weeks (29:49) Northwestern's best offensive weapon (39:05) The Wildcats' DC problem (42:21) Why Georgia-Tennessee matters to Ohio State (44:45) Our OSU-NU game picks (53:22) Hot dog ice cream (1:00:54) Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It is a giant rapid fire Buckeye Talk this Thursday, as Doug Lesmerises, Nathan Baird and Stephen Means steer clear of Ohio State play-calling and answer questions related to everything else. In order, the topics: Picking a college football team to play aliens Transfer portal balance Saying talent-equated Get rid of old stadiums Is C.J. Stroud or Justin Fields better? Year 2 Ohio State running backs Offensive assistant titles Could assistants leave after this season? Is Burger King bad? Getting the name right for J.T. Tuimoloau Preventing tunnel fights Tailgating at Penn State Rental car insurance "It is what it is" More playoff games -- J.J. McCarthy or C.J. Stroud? A Michigan doomsday question Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Wednesday rants Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com, Doug Lesmerises gets stuck on one topic longer than usual. But it's a pretty important one -- the play-calling tendencies of Ohio State coach Ryan Day the last two weeks, especially in the run game. Maybe 60 percent of the 100-plus rants sent in were on this topic, so the pod breaks down this way: Segment 1: Doug mostly lays the groundwork for the discussion with some stats and comparisons to other college offenses. Segment 2: Rants from every angle about the play-calling. Segment 3: A look at the initial College Football Playoff rankings for the season that have Ohio State at No. 2 behind Tennessee. It's a different rant episode than usual, but thanks as always for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Monday Buckeye Talk, Doug Lesmerises and Nathan Baird are back for the usual discussion. That means a deep dive into an aspect of Ohio State, a look at the national college football scene, and then a list of what's on their mind outside football. First, (4:50), they talk about the bubble screens Ohio State ran against Penn State and why they didn't work. Then (18:24) the discussion moves to the first College Football Playoff rankings of the season coming out on Tuesday night. Doug and Nathan predict where they think the Buckeyes will be and break down all the conflicting into for the committee. Then (38:54) it's back to the run game, and what happened with scheme, the blocking and the running backs on the 19 primary run calls against the Nittany Lions. Finally (1:15:38) the guys do Whatcha Watchin', Whatcha Eatin', Whatcha Thinkin', which includes a healthy dose of the Ohio Renaissance Festival that Doug attended Sunday. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's the postgame Buckeye Talk from Ohio State's win over Penn State. But Doug is worried he's going to get locked in Beaver Stadium. So he has to hurry: Part 1: Offense good or bad? Part 2: JT Tuimoloau, Marvin Harrison Jr, C.J. Stroud and Cade Stover shine Part 3: Run game ... what do you think? Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Friday episode of Betting the Buckeyes, Doug Lesmerises and Tyler Shoemaker are, as always, looking at Ohio State football and college football from a gambling perspective. First, Tyler suggests an Ohio State bet for this week and it may be a change from the old reliable Ohio State angle that had been cashing. Then (13:37), Doug and Tyler each make a betting suggestion in each of the Power 5 conferences. Look out Illinois and Bret Bielema? Finally (31:42), Tyler offers another upset special after hitting last week, gives his three best bets, and offers a tip about betting trends. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Friday Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com, Doug Lesmerises, Nathan Baird and Stephen Means are breaking down Saturday's game between the Ohio State Buckeyes and the Penn State Nittany Lions. First, they start with the most interesting things they heard from Ryan Day and Ohio State players on Wednesday and Thursday. That includes more discussion at Jaxon Smith-Njigba's health, Julian Fleming's return home for this game, and how C.J. Stroud views the Penn State defense. Then (39:16) there's a crossover discussion with the Penn State podcast Blue-White Breakdown as Doug includes some segments of his visit there with Penn State reporters Bob Flounders and Dave Jones. Finally (51:37), Doug, Nathan and Stephen return to make their picks for the game. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The rants are late this week, and for that Doug Lesmerises apologizes. But they are here, with Ohio State text subscribers sending in great thoughts to ponder. The topics: The importance of the Ohio State offensive line and sticking with the run game An Ohio State fan at a Penn State Halloween party Letting a kid pick his or her favorite team, and will Bama still be good in 10 years? Was Ohio State slow to change the offensive game plan against Iowa? How great was the Jim Knowles hire? Gus Johnson and Joel Klatt Rapid rants, including standing at games and souffles C.J. Stroud Corey Dennis Kirk Ferentz and what Doug thought of his multi-day arc with the Iowa coach Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Wednesday episode, we're switching it up. Instead of Ohio State rants (which will come your way Thursday), this is a rapid fire Q&A with Doug Lesmerises, Nathan Baird and Stephen Means taking questions from text subscribers. In order: (0:30) The 2023 OSU schedule (7:30) Julian Fleming and his role this season (18:05) OSU players that could get hot down the stretch (23:43) How the coaching staff could improve (32:16) Backing in to parking spaces (41:13) How much the idea of the brotherhood affects Ohio State's performance on the field That last one went long, so it wasn't very rapid. But thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com. Rants back tomorrow. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Monday Buckeye Talk, Doug Lesmerises and Nathan Baird are back to break it down. First, a look at the opposing pass defenses that the Ohio State Buckeyes could face in their quest for a national title. How might Alabama, Georgia, Tennessee, Clemson and Michigan fare in trying to slow down C.J. Stroud? Plus, a second look at how Iowa defended the Buckeyes, and an answer to whether the Ohio State offense is the best unit in the nation. Then (47:53), based off Doug's column on Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz, the discussion turns to when head coaches have too much power in college football and what can be done about it. Finally (1:03:11), it's Whatcha Watchin', Whatcha Eatin', Whatcha Thinkin', covering, among other things, an inaugural visit to The Cheesecake Factory and Doug's evolution as an athlete. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this postgame Buckeye Talk from Ohio State's 54-10 win over Iowa in Ohio Stadium, Doug Lesmerises, Nathan Baird and Stephen Means are breaking down how the OSU passing game got it rolling late and how the OSU defense smothered Iowa's desultory offense all game. First, the guys look at C.J. Stroud and how he played almost two different games. The Iowa defense provided a real test early, but the passing game broke it open late. What part of the game told you more? Then (28:41), the guys talk about the return of Jaxon Smith-Njigba, which didn't last all that long. Also, the Ohio State running game never got going against the Hawkeyes -- does that matter? Finally (57:10), it's a look at the dominating day for the Ohio State defense against the stumbling Iowa offense. Can the defense carry the Buckeyes when needed? And could Penn State next week be a version of Iowa, but tougher? Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode of Betting the Buckeyes on Buckeye Talk, Doug Lesmerises and Tyler Shoemaker start with a discussion of the gap between the offensive outputs of the Ohio State Buckeyes and Iowa Hawkeyes this season, and what that means for the gambling perspective of Saturday’s Ohio State-Iowa matchup. TSHoe, as always, has a suggested Ohio State bet for that one. Then it’s onto five picks from each of them, one each in the ACC, Big 12, Pac-12, SEC and Big Ten. Doug is working out a theory this week -- nervous team unders. He picks out some overachieving teams playing big games and finds some bets to make on the under. Tyler, meanwhile, is letting the math lead his picks, including some more first-quarter bets where he’s been digging in to find more of an edge lately. Then it’s the Underdog Pick of the Week, plus Tyler’s three best bets. And finally, the weekly tidbit of sports betting advice. Thanks for listening to Betting the Buckeyes on Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Friday Buckeye Talk, Doug Lesmerises, Nathan Baird and Stephen Means are previewing Ohio State vs. Iowa on Saturday. First, Doug is joined by John Steppe of the Cedar Rapids Gazette to break down what Iowa does pretty well and what Iowa does very poorly. Then (25:47), Doug, Nathan and Stephen talk about the most interesting things learned from Buckeyes like C.J. Stroud, Marvin Harrison Jr. and J.T. Tuimoloau this week. Then (54:58), the guys make their picks for the game, with Ohio State favored by 29.5. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Thursday Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com, Doug Lesmerises and Stephen Means are answering questions about Ohio State football recruiting from text subscribers. Among the topics covered: Is there any chance Tennessee flips OSU receiver commit Carnell Tate? Which defensive line recruits from Damon Wilson, Matayo Uiagalelei and Keon Keeley might the Buckeyes land? Could Ohio State flip safety recruit Caleb Downs back from Alabama? What are the prospects for OSU 2023 QB recruit Brock Glenn? How might the increasing success of teams like USC, Texas and Tennessee affect Ohio State recruiting? Is there a personal relationship that might help safeties coach Perry Eliano land a 5-star? And much more. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Wednesday Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com, Doug Lesmerises is again taking rants from Ohio State text subscribers. Topics covered, in order: Iowa scars and what the Buckeyes should expect vs. the Hawkeyes Ohio State's history of successful revenge How wins over ranked teams should be counted Giving Emeka Egbuka credit Why passing is the way to win Comparing Ohio State's history of NFL QBs to other programs How Ohio State should view Tennessee, and what Jim Knowles thinks of the Vols' offense Rapid rants, from cold baseball to nugget sauce C.J. Stroud and the Heisman race Is Michigan overrated or should the Wolverines be respected? Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Monday Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com, Doug Lesmerises and Nathan Baird are celebrating a wild weekend of college football that didn't include the Ohio State Buckeyes, who were off. After several unbeaten teams lost, including Alabama, Doug and Nathan each give their projected four-team playoff bracket for the first time this season. Could both Ohio State and Michigan make the playoff if they're 11-0 when they meet? Doug and Nathan outline all the possibilities there. At 27:45, they start to reveal their playoff brackets. At 42:20, they discuss the offenses that impressed Saturday and whether they could give the OSU defense trouble. Then there's a Heisman Troop discussion around C.J. Stroud. In the final segment (59:46), it's Whatcha Watchin', Whatcha Eaten', Whatcha Thinking'? Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this weekend Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com, Doug Lesmerises, Nathan Baird and Stephen Means are taking another look at the Ohio State football roster while the Buckeyes are off and splitting their regular season in half. They have six regular-season games to go, and they have collected six wins, thanks in large part to the skills of these 25 players. In the preseason, Doug, Nathan and Stephen did a ranking of the OSU roster. Each of them assigned a value between 1 and 20 points for a player’s value to the team and another value of between 1 and 20 points for the player’s rare talent. Then the text subscribers (sign up for a two-week free trial at 614-350-3315) rated all the players on a 1 to 10 scale for a Q rating -- how good they think the player is and how much they like him. The result was a 50-point rating for each player, and a top 25 list of the Ohio State football players with the most influence. And six games in, everyone did it again. Four players dropped out of the top 25 and four players moved in. Several players moved up or down by more than 10 spots. All of that is detailed on Buckeye Talk to get you through the weekend until the preview of Ohio State-Iowa begins next week. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Buckeye Talk episode of Betting the Buckeyes, Doug Lesmerises and Tyler Shoemaker are diving in even without an Ohio State game this week. In the first segment, they discuss TShoe's evolving strategy of betting the first quarter, as he continues to dig into the numbers on that. He's 5-1 on OSU bets like that this season, and even without the Buckeyes, he has a team to hit with a first-quarter bet. Then Doug and TShoe look at the odds for Ohio State and other teams to both make the playoff and win it all this season, and they discuss futures bets and how you should think about them. In the second segment (18:19), the guys make their picks for five major games this week. They disagree head-to-head on the Penn State-Michigan game, so that battle is on. Finally, (37:15) Tyler gives his upset pick and his three best bets for the week. The best bets have been consistent winners lately, and an old favorite team pops up again. At the end, they discuss how to read the market late in the week and how that should influence your betting. Thanks for listening to Betting the Buckeyes on Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Thursday Buckeye Talk Podcast, Doug Lesmerises, Nathan Baird and Stephen Means are joined by Richie Kyburz, a Buckeye Talk listener who won the Buckeye Talk NCAA Tournament bracket contest six months ago. A spot on the pod was one of the prizes and it took this long for Buckeye Talk to get itself together and get Richie on the show. With Ohio State halfway through the regular season and off this week, this episode is handing out midseason awards and making a few predictions for the rest of the season. The rundown: Offensive Player of the Year so far (6:53) Defensive Player of the Year (15:28) Offensive surprise (29:12) Defensive surprise (38:12) Best position coach (43:38) Player you now think is a future star (54:45) Biggest worry rest of the way (1:07:00) Predicting first-team All-Big Ten players (1:19:25) Outrageous Predictions for the second half of the season (1:28:02) Richie's view on the 12-team playoff (1:37:55) Thanks to Richie for joining the show, and thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Wednesday edition of Buckeye Talk, Doug Lesmerises is back with rants about college football and Ohio State football that he had saved up from test subscribers. Topics covered in order: Snakebitten Ohio State football stars through the years, like Jaxon Smith-Njigba Is college football in a bad spot? Ohio State's offensive line the best in years Gus Johnson, Joel Klatt and Ohio State Plural or singular sports usage Ohio State's WR room among the best ever Getting Dawand Jones to stay for next season Playing young cornerbacks How does the Big Ten's depth compare to other conferences? SEC bias -- where it's earned and not earned Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Monday Buckeye Talk, Doug Lesmerises and Nathan Baird start with a conversation about backups quarterbacks around the country. Alabama almost lost with backup Jalen Milroe on Saturday and Kansas almost won with backup quarterback Jason Bean. Would the Buckeyes be able to win with backup Kyle McCord this season? And what makes the perfect backup QB? Plus, a look at how much all the best teams this season have played their No. 2 quarterback. Then, (27:46) Nathan and Doug look more specifically at Ohio State and the offensive infrastructure that would aid a backup QB. That means receivers Marvin Harrison Jr. and Emeka Egbuka, the offensive line, and the play calling of Ryan Day. Would all that make most backups look good? Doug and Nathan then (46:10) look at how Baron Browning is succeeding in the NFL and once again lament how Ohio State didn't use him correctly. Finally, (57:46) it's Whatcha Watchin', Eatin' and Thinkin', with thoughts on squeezing in movies, Abbott Elementary, wings places, driverless cars and TV spoilers on social media. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this postgame Buckeye Talk after Ohio State's 49-20 win over Michigan State, Doug Lesmerises, Nathan Baird and Stephen Means take postgame questions from text subscribers. As a reminder, those questions usually aren't "Why is Ohio State so good?" So the Buckeyes are 6-0 heading into their off week and very possibly playing like the best team in the country. But the majority of questions were centered around three topics: With Miyan Williams out Saturday and TreVeyon Henderson leaving the game after hitting 100 yards with a minor injury, should OSU fans worry about the running back health? And how important are the running backs to a championship OSU season? Why doesn't Ryan Day let the second-team offense, specifically backup QB Kyle McCord, do more? Why are the cornerbacks continuing to struggle at times, what can be fixed there, and which opponents could take advantage of what looks like the weak spot in the defense? Other topics covered include Mike Hall Jr, the explanation for Ohio State's pick-six, and kickoffs going out of bounds. Again, Ohio State played very well and should inspire a lot of confidence in fans, but this is what was on the minds of the Buckeye Talk faithful halfway through the regular season. Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Friday episode of Betting the Buckeyes on Buckeye Talk, Tyler Shoemaker (the official bookmaker of Buckeye Talk) and Doug Lesmerises break down Ohio State vs. Michigan State from a gambling perspective and make picks around college football. First, TShoe and Doug discuss whether oddsmakers are late to the party on Ohio State's first-half and first-quarter offensive success, and what that means for betting Ohio State. Plus Doug tells a gambling story from college that involves baseball cards. Then, (20:33) Doug and TShoe slide into their national picks, where they have a particular angle on Alabama this week. And Doug also has thoughts on Quinn Ewers and Texas. The pod wraps up (33:03) with Tyler's best best and upset special, and if his upset pick hits, it'll change the College Football Playoff race. Tyler also coins the phrase Bet Peeves. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Friday Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com, Doug Lesmerises, Nathan Baird and Stephen Means preview Saturday's matchup in East Lansing between the Ohio State Buckeyes and the Michigan State Spartans. The guys drive right into a deep breakdown on both sides of the ball, first asking how Michigan State's still leaky pass defense can slow Ohio State, then looking at Michigan State's problems running the ball this season. Then, (26:52) Nathan and Stephen divulge the most interesting conversations they had with OSU players this week, talking Paris Johnson Jr. and Dawand Jones, Marvin Harrison Jr. and his cleats, and Luke Wypler. Finally, (46:55) Doug, Nathan and Stephen make their picks, and discuss some good news for a loyal Buckeye Talk listener. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Doug, Nathan and Stephen try something new on this Thursday Buckeye Talk. In the wake of the firing of Wisconsin coach Paul Chryst, it's time to spin the Big Ten coaching wheel. Doug, Nathan and Stephen had to decide whether current Big Ten coaches kept their jobs based on the rules of this game: 3 coaches had to stay in the current jobs. 3 coaches had to move from one Big Ten job to another. 3 people associated with Ohio State (mostly current or former assistants) had to take over a Big Ten program. 3 other new hires had to be picked. And the final 2 spots were wild cards that could be done in any of the four categories. The result was a discussion of every Big Ten coaching job and whether the right person is currently in the job, but with a twist. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's rant time again on this Wednesday Buckeye Talk, and here's what Doug Lesmerises and the Ohio State text subscribers covered about Ohio State football and a few other topics: Injuries and load management Punt return strategy A better Ryan Day nickname C.J. Stroud rhythm OSU QBs in the NFL Rapid fire rants, including on spoiled milk Leading questions in news conferences Don't worry about Paul Chryst Could Ohio State be this season's super team? A vote on Miyan Williams and TreVeyon Henderson Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's Monday on Buckeye Talk, which means Doug Lesmerises and Nathan Baird are hitting three big areas: Looking back on Ohio State's Saturday game, a larger view of college football, and Whatcha Watchin', Eatin' and Thinkin'. First up, a deep dive into Miyan Williams and his huge rushing game Saturday in Ohio State's win over Rutgers. How he did it, what his role should continue to be and how he's made his mark on the Buckeyes. Then (34:15) it's the Sunday night firing of Wisconsin head coach Paul Chryst. Were the Badgers right to do it, who might replace him and what's wrong and can be fixed with the entire Big Ten West? Finally, (59:25), Whatcha Watchin', Eatin' and Thinkin', which ranges from The Godfather to pancake advice. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this postgame Buckeye Talk after Ohio State's 49-10 win over Rutgers on Saturday, Doug Lesmerises, Nathan Baird and Stephen Means are diving into three main areas, with a long discussion of Miyan Williams' big game coming on the Monday pod. First on this one, a look at one of the best games of Zach Harrison's career and what his presence on the defensive line might mean in the second half of the season. Then (24:03), a look at C.J. Stroud's night and how opponents are trying to focus on the OSU passing game and how the Buckeyes are handling it. Finally (40:48), the on-field finger-pointing confrontation between Ryan Day and Greg Schiano and what it told us about Day. Plus, why it happened. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's Betting the Buckeyes on Buckeye Talk, and Doug Lesmerises and Tyler Shoemaker are here to talk Ohio State-Rutgers and national college football through a gambling lens and to offer some best bets for the week. First, Doug and TShoe discuss Ohio State as a 39.5-point favorite over Rutgers and look at the history of the series, where the number is almost always big. Last year, Ohio State was only favored by 15 and Doug remembers how odd that was. TShoe has a particular bet he likes for Ohio State that fits with a fast start by the Buckeyes. Then (19:09), it's time to make picks from every power conference, as Doug tries to bounce back from another week of struggles. Maybe LSU's Brian Kelly will save him. At the end (40:17) Tyler offers his three best bets and a HUGE upset pick of the week. He's feeling good after hitting his upset special last week. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Buckeye Talk game preview of Ohio State vs. Rutgers, Doug Lesmerises, Nathan Baird and Stephen Means do their best to make the Scarlet Knights seem interesting. At the start, Doug mostly complains about how hard that is. At 9:19, the game breakdown gets into Ohio State's current injury status and whether Jaxon Smith-Njigba might play; the few players on Rutgers to watch; and how OSU defensive coordinator Jim Knowles may attack Rutgers' third-string quarterback. Then at 37:02, it's time for the game predictions, plus a look back at a preseason Mark It Down Monday and how Doug, Nathan and Stephen did with those predictions. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Thursday Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com, Doug Lesmerises, Nathan Baird and Stephen Means are back with rapid fire questions from text subscribers. Topics covered include: Ohio State football's cultural relevance The Keon Keeley recruitment What if there's a three-way tie in the Big Ten East? Are there any threats to Ohio State before the Michigan game? What national teams should OSU fans be rooting for and against? Could we ever cover Michigan? Which OSU game next year will be streaming on Peacock? A reset of the Heisman Trophy race, and is C.J. Stroud viewed as the front runner or not? Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Wednesday Buckeye Talk, Doug Lesmerises and the text subscribers are offering rants and takes on the Ohio State Buckeyes. The topics covered: How backup QB Kyle McCord is used Tommy Eichenberg as Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year The success of offensive line coach Justin Frye Rutgers stinks Wisconsin stinks LeBron James Rapid fire rants The future of Jaxon Smith-Njigba C.J. Stroud in the Heisman race This is the best Ohio State team since the Super Sophs in 1968 As usual, a lot of ground is covered and a lot of takes offered. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Monday Buckeye Talk, Doug Lesmerises and Nathan Baird are back to put Ohio State in the national context, reexamine Ohio State's win Saturday, and do Whatcha Watchin', Whatcha Eatin', Whatcha Thinkin'. First, for the opening 45 minutes, the national conversation: Should Ohio State be No. 1 ahead of Georgia? How did Nathan vote in the AP poll? Discussing the 19 undefeated power conference teams and how many are good How are Michigan and QB JJ McCarthy looking? Is Minnesota the best team in the Big Ten West? Then, at 45:02, the OSU discussion: How Ohio State handled Nick Herbig, Wisconsin's best defensive player Snap counts for the Ohio State defense against the Badgers C.J Stroud's ranking among the national leaders in passing stats Then, at 1:08:32, Whatcha Watchin', Whatcha Eatin', Whatcha Thinkin': Bo Burham, Keegan-Michael Key and gentle humor Fast food bagels and air fried chicken A smelly pooch mystery, and memories from the 1998 McGwire-Sosa home run race Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this postgame Buckeye Talk, Doug Lesmerises, Nathan Baird and Stephen Means run through No. 3 Ohio State's 52-21 win over Wisconsin in Ohio Stadium on Saturday night. First up, the Ohio State defense, which proved that Graham Mertz isn't good and gang-tackled Wisconsin running back Braelon Allen all night. The Buckeyes held down the Badgers while missing their top three cornerbacks. Then at 24:41, the talk turns to the Ohio State offense -- the two running backs, the offensive line, tight end Cade Stover, and the receiver play without Jaxon Smith-Njigba. Also discussed is Ryan Day's play-calling, which may have been as good as it has ever been. Finally, at 1:00:08, the focus turns to quarterback C.J. Stroud, who threw five touchdown passes but admitted he has to make sure he doesn't get bored handing the ball off. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Here's the preview for Ohio State vs. Wisconsin on Saturday night in Ohio Stadium, as the 3-0 Buckeyes will host the 2-1 Badgers. In the first part of this pod, Doug Lesmerises, Nathan Baird and Stephen Means look at Ohio State's defense vs. Wisconsin's offense and theorize about how much the Badgers might need to throw the ball. Then it's Part 2 (27:02) and the Ohio State offense vs. the Wisconsin defense. This is the usual question -- Can Wisconsin handle the Buckeyes' passing game? In the third part of the episode (37:39), Doug, Nathan and Stephen make their picks, and then discuss the Wednesday practice absence of cornerback Denzel Burke. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode of Betting the Buckeyes on Buckeye Talk, Doug Lesmerises and Tyler Shoemaker are talking about the possible live betting opportunity on Ohio State on Saturday night. TShoe's ratings have Wisconsin as a top-15 team, so the fact that Ohio State is favored by 18.5 points might be a bit high. Might it take a quarter for Buckeyes' defensive coordinator Jim Knowles to adjust to Wisconsin? If so, a first-quarter Wisconsin score could set up a live betting chance on Ohio State, and Doug and TShoe discuss what that means. Then, it's time for picks, with love of a Pac-12 team, belief in a Big Ten team, and expected mercy from an SEC team. Finally, Tyler gives out his upset special and his three best bets of the week. Then there's a tip about betting over/unders, even as Doug messes up the advice by falling for a quarterback. Thanks for listening to Betting the Buckeyes on Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Thursday Buckeye Talk, Doug Lesmerises, Nathan Baird and Stephen Means are back to rapid fire topics presented by Ohio State text subscribers. The topics covered in order are: Is Ohio State's better chance at a title next season, or is 2022 the best collection of talent for a title? What are the thoughts on the I-formation and new offensive looks? Will Jaxon Smith-Njigba sometimes be a decoy? How should the Will linebacker snaps by divvied up between Steele Chambers and Cody Simon? Do the Buckeyes look like they're having fun? They should be How is Ohio State on third-and-short this season? That leads into a look at how the Buckeyes stack up on third down in a lot of areas Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Wednesday Buckeye Talk, Doug Lesmerises one again entertains rants, takes and strong opinions on the Buckeyes from the cleveland.com Ohio State text subscribers. The topics covered, in order: A bad take heard at a bar The OSU standard vs the Browns Taking a grandpa to an OSU game Alex Grinch Night games Feedback on Ryan Day or Urban Meyer Ohio State puts out a wrong injury report Are the defensive ends wrecking plays? Michigan's quarterback revenge Cornerback concerns Sonny Styles The defense isn't bend, don't break How C.J. Stroud handles himself compared to past OSU QBs Ryan Day vs. Kirby Smart How should TreVeyon Henderson be viewed, used and counted on That's a whole lot of rants and takes. Thanks for listening to them on Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Monday Buckeye Talk, Doug Lesmerises and Nathan Baird are breaking the pod into three segements. First, from the start to 23:35, Ohio State football: A rewatch of how the defense played vs. Toledo A big-play breakdown for the OSU offense and defense Snap counts for the linebackers, defensive ends and receivers And more Then, from 23:25 to 1:04:27, national college football and how the Buckeyes fit in there: How Garrett Wilson played in his second NFL game Sunday Where Ohio State's defense ranks compared to other top teams The Michigan-Maryland matchup coming Saturday Penn State's win over Auburn What Nebraska should learn from Ohio State and whether Urban Meyer, Tom Herman or Brian Hartline could make sense for the Cornhuskers Then from 1:04:27 until the end, it's Whatcha Watchin', Whatcha Eatin', Whatcha Thinkin': TV shows that are good and/or annoying us Squash Job interviews and what happened to Craig Kilborn? Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this postgame Buckeye Talk, Doug Lesmerises, Nathan Baird and Stephen Means are here to talk about Ohio State's 77-21 win over Toledo. First, a discussion of C.J. Stroud and the passing game, which continues until the 41:33 mark,. Then, it's onto the injury to TreVeyon Henderson and the OSU run game until the 1:00:11 mark. And finally, it's the Ohio State defense and how it handled Toledo quarterback Dequan Finn until the end of the pod. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's Betting the Buckeyes again on Buckeye Talk, as Doug Lesmerises and Tyler Shoemaker are back to talk Ohio State and college football from a gambling standpoint. To start this episode, they run through the lines on Ohio State-Toledo and TShoe offers the bet he likes best around the Buckeyes. Then they talk about trying to get in a coach's head in the second half of a blowout. Then, Mr. Math and Mr. Emotion each make a pick in each of the Power 5 conferences. The bets run from Iowa to Maryland, from LSU to North Carolina State, from USC to Baylor. And then the pod ends with TShoe giving his Upset Pick of the Week and three best bets. Tyler is rolling with his bets so far this season, so get on board. Thanks for listening to Betting the Buckeyes on Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Friday Buckeye Talk, Doug Lesmerises, Nathan Baird and Stephen Means preview Ohio State's home game with Toledo at 7 p.m. Saturday night. First, they run through the news and insight on Ohio State, including the latest on what Ryan Day said about the health of star receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba. Then they look at Toledo's best players, Ohio State's history against Ohio teams, and how often Toledo has given a game to ranked opponents. Then they make their picks, with the Buckeyes favored by 31.5. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Thursday Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com, Doug Lesmerises, Nathan Baird and Stephen Means are taking a cue from text subscribers and discussing how they try to evaluate the Ohio State Buckeyes early in a season like this. Ohio State owns a 21-10 win over Notre Dame and a 45-12 win over Arkansas State, and what do those wins tell us about how good the Buckeyes are? What should it mean that star receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba missed most of the first game and all of the second? How about the fact that Notre Dame was upset in Week 2 by Marshall? Doug, Nathan and Stephen discuss comparing the Buckeyes to their own high standard and to the best teams in the country, discuss what past seasons tell us about early-season evals, and pick out the individual player matchups and scheme successes that they think translate vs. all competition. Also, do the Buckeyes play down to their competition or not? It's all on this Buckeye Talk. Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Wednesday Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com, the Ohio State text subscribers and Doug Lesmerises are ready to rant again about the Buckeyes. The topics covered, in order: Where Toledo coach Jason Candle is wrong about Ryan Day Ohio State football is playing too many night games At The Shoe, there aren't enough bathrooms and the music is too loud What the Notre Dame and Wisconsin losses do to Ohio State's schedule Good Tommy Eichenberg When C.J. Stroud will run it Michigan should be ranked higher than Ohio State Big non-conference games don't help the Buckeyes Jaxon Smith-Njigba being out is helping Ohio State Leaving Stroud in blowouts is driving some fans nuts Ryan Day's niceness makes some people miss Urban Meyer That's a lot. Hope you like it. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ohio State has been on the playoff bubble more than any other national power during the eight years of that version of the postseason. How differently would the recent history have looked had the powers that be implemented a 12-team playoff in 2014? Doug Lesmerises, Nathan Baird and Stephen Means went year-by-year through the actual brackets to see who the Buckeyes would have played. Did limiting the playoff to four teams cost OSU another national championship along the way? Or more than one? Up front, Nathan recaps some highlights from taking a second look at the 45-12 victory over Arkansas State on Saturday. If this is a bend-don't-break defense, is that a positive at this stage considering the opponents? On the other hand, some components of this defense are playing very well, and the potential ceiling remains much higher than what the Buckeyes were working with a year ago. In the final segment, Nathan looks at some national results with OSU interest. That includes Michigan's volcanic eruption against Hawaii and J.J. McCarthy's newly minted status as the Wolverines' starting quarterback. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ohio State did not really pull away from Arkansas State until early in the third quarter. Yet as we saw around college football on Saturday, that was not the worst possible outcome for the Buckeyes. Nathan and Stephen give some context to the 45-12 victory through questions from our Buckeye Talk Subtext subscribers. How good will this offense be when Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Julian Fleming return, or will the production stay the same when the names change? What is going on with cornerback Denzel Burke? Has this receiving corps taken a step back in terms of speed, and does it matter? Also, we react to Notre Dame's loss to Marshall and discuss where Ohio State should be ranked going into Week 3. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Betting the Buckeyes is back for Week 2 after last week's debut, as Tyler Shoemaker and Doug Lesmerises return to discuss the weekend in college football from a gambling standpoint. First up on this episode, Ohio State is favored by 44.5 over Arkansas State and the total is 68.5. TShoe has a clear angle on one of those bets, and Doug and Tyler discuss getting inside the mind of a head coach in a blowout. Then it's time for Doug and TShoe to each make one bet from each Power 5 conference. Last week, both went 3-2 on these picks, and this week, there's a direct disagreement on Michigan's big number vs. Hawaii. Plus, the USC-Stanford game feels a little fishy, and Doug forgets what conference Texas A&M is in. Then, TShoe finishes the pod with his picks in the weeds, where he really hopes to make you some money. Ohio State will play Toledo next week. This week, the Rockets are part of one of his best bets. Thanks for listening to Betting the Buckeyes on Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Friday Buckeye Talk, Doug Lesmerises, Nathan Baird and Stephen Means are previewing Saturday's game in Ohio Stadium, when Ohio State will host Arkansas State. But they're also discussing something Ohio State head coach Ryan Day said on Thursday. On this episode: From the start to 25:49, a discussion of Day saying ego can't get in the way of the run game and that starts with him From 25:40 to 44:01, breaking down Arkansas State and their major players From 44:01 to the end, making game picks and picking the Buckeyes that everyone should be most curious about on Saturday. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Thursday Buckeye Talk, it's rapid fire once again, and then the latest practice update at the end. But to start off, Doug Lesmerises, Nathan Baird and Stephen Means are answering text subscriber questions and talking Ryan Day and chowder. Topics covered were, in order: Ranking what bothered the offense most Saturday Tyleik Williams and defensive line snap breakdowns What would getting Bronny James mean for the OSU basketball team and the football team? Best game day traditions at Ohio State and what must you do if you attend a game What should you watch for vs. Arkansas State on Saturday How did Paris Johnson play in his first start at left tackle? What if the Buckeyes had made two more plays and won 31-10 vs. Notre Dame? Could Marvin Harrison Jr. still break the OSU touchdown record? Advice for parents Why does it seem like reporters on the Ohio State beat have changed jobs lately? Then, Nathan and Stephen offer the latest updates from interviews after practice on Wednesday. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Wednesday Buckeye Talk, it's time for more rants and takes on the Buckeyes as Doug Lesmerises welcomes 10 strong opinions from the OSU text subscribers (sign up for a free trial at 614-350-3315) and comments on all of them. In order, the topics are: C.J. Stroud Band noise on broadcasts Miyan Williams Josh Proctor-Lathan Ransom OSU vs. Notre Dame compared to Georgia vs. Clemson last year Stroud running Were we cranky on the postgame pod? When to say Buckeye Talk jokes Being an OSU fan can be exhausting Ryan Day's play calling Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's the in-season Monday episode on Buckeye Talk and this is the plan this season as Doug Lesmerises and Nathan Baird will bring you this pod each Monday. Part 1 is Ohio State; Part 2 is national college football, Michigan and OSU in context; and Part 3 is Whatcha Watchin', Whatcha Eatin', Whatcha Thinkin'? Part 1 in this episode looks at how many explosive plays Ohio State made compared to last year and discusses the Buckeyes defending their Kings of The North title. Part 2 looks a bit at Georgia and Alabama, how Nathan will vote the Buckeyes compared to those two teams on his AP ballot, and what's up with Michigan. Part 3 is bean fields, Urkel, sisters and keys in electric sockets. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's the first Ohio State football postgame pod of the 2022 season, as Doug Lesmerises, Nathan Baird and Stephen Means break down the Buckeyes' 21-10 win over Notre Dame on Saturday night in Ohio Stadium. It's late. You know how postgame pods work, right? They talk about what happened in the game and what it means? You get it. Enjoy this weekend Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We're trying something new on Buckeye Talk. We're not taking anything away, but we're adding something extra to the mix. That's this weekly gambling show on Buckeye Talk called Betting the Buckeyes, and it brings in old friend Tyler Shoemaker as the official gambling expert for Buckeye Talk. He'll be here every Friday on this preview show with Doug Lesmerises to do three things: Offer a gambling perspective on the OSU game, since Tyler is an OSU fan who understands balancing your heart and your money. Make a gambling pick in each Power 5 conference, and Doug will do the same as they square off in a classic showdown of Smart vs. Not So Smart. Offer best bets with the Upset of The Week, and some other best bets from around the country. It's something new and fun in the Buckeye Talk feed as many states have legalized sports betting and Ohio prepares to do so on Jan. 1. If you gamble on college football, or if you are thinking you might want to try, this pod will appeal to you. If you don't have any interest in gambling, but you still like Ohio State and college football, there's some discussion in here that will interest you. The breakdown this week: Intro to 12:43: Breaking down the betting lines on Ohio State-Notre Dame, and Tyler offering a bet for the game that he likes the best. 12:43 to 21:39: How Tyler got into gambling and what's his method and success rate with his system. 21:39 to 35:27: Doug and Tyler each make a pick on a game in the Big Ten, Pac-12, ACC, SEC and Big 12. 35:27 to 45:11: Tyler gives his Upset of the Week and gets in the weeds to make some other under-the-radar picks he likes the best. 45:11 to end: Don't bet over your head. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk and thanks for giving this new episode a try. See you back for Betting the Buckeyes next Friday. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Friday Buckeye Talk, Doug Lesmerises, Nathan Baird and Stephen Means are here to break down Saturday night's matchup between No. 2 Ohio State and No. 5 Notre Dame and make their picks for the Buckeyes vs. the Fighting Irish. A separate pod on Friday with Doug and Tyler Shoemaker will discuss the OSU-ND game from a gambling perspective, and also make some picks from around the country. But here, this is the lineup: Start to 5:30: An OSU injury update 5:30 to 11:20: C.J. Stroud gave his teammates a gift 11:20 to 17:09: Where Ohio State ranks in the national composite of roster talent 17:09 to 22:18: 3 Buckeyes to watch 22:18 to 35:30: The Notre Dame offense vs. the Ohio State defense 35:30 to 41:02: The Ohio State offense vs. the Notre Dame defense 41:02 to end: Game picks Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Don't miss the postgame pod late after the game Saturday or early Sunday morning. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This Thursday Buckeye Talk is a rapid fire and a news update to get you ready for the Ohio State-Notre Dame opener on Saturday night. The last 15 minutes of the episode, starting at the 1:27:06 mark, is an update from Wednesday night interviews with Ohio State players, as Doug Lesmerises, Nathan Baird and Stephen Means provide updates on what they saw and learned. But most of the pod is rapid fire answers to rapid fire questions from OSU text subscribers. In order, the topics are: What's the play call the first time the Buckeyes are in a third-and-2 Saturday? How big of a recruiting night will Saturday be? Discussing OSU as a playoff No. 1 seed and No. 1 team in the AP poll Are Ohio State's history of home non-conference losses a concern How could C.J. Stroud seize Heisman Trophy momentum Could the Buckeyes go, egads, 9-3? What's our view on white pizza? A possible explanation for why Ohio State has three kickers Ohio State's lingering red-zone issues, how much must they improve? How do we rate Ohio State's chances of winning a title in the next five years? It's a great discussion thanks to great questions from texters. Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Wednesday Buckeye Talk, Doug Lesmerises is looking for a name for what this in-season episode is likely to be each Wednesday -- Doug and the Ohio State text subscribers combining to offer 10 rants and takes on the Buckeyes and what matters most with the football team. For this first effort, here were the 10 topics covered, in order: A Lathan Ransom breakout What Notre Dame tight end Michael Mayer will do vs. the Buckeyes Should Jim Tressel dot the i? When C.J. Hicks should start at linebacker If a lack of cornerback depth will cost Ohio State a shot at a title How often Ohio State should play Notre Dame Whether the Buckeyes need to get four sacks Saturday Ryan Day seeing an edge in his team Whether Day will pass Nick Saban as the best coach in college football Is the defense overrated or underrated and who are its playmakers? We'll continue to work out (and eventually name) this format. As always, thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Tuesday Buckeye Talk, Doug Lesmerises, Nathan Baird and Stephen Means attack a topic they've been talking around for years -- the idea of the Ohio State Buckeyes as The Kings of The North of college football. What does that mean? How did it happen? And will it continue? In the first segment through the 26:23 mark, Doug explains his first part of the series, how Ohio State is the only Northern team to win a national title this century, but Notre Dame, Michigan and Cincinnati may all be on the upswing. In the second segment, from 26:23 to 47:23, Nathan explains the database of regional recruiting data he helped create, and what those numbers show about Ohio State's success in bringing recruits from the South and Southwest to retain their Northern supremacy. In the third segment, from 47:23 until the end, Stephen looks at the recruiting battles ahead, talking teams like Penn State and Iowa, but especially Notre Dame, when it comes to schools challenging the Buckeyes in their backyard and going out into the world as other Northern draws for recruits from other regions. You kind of have to listen to this pod or read the three-part series at cleveland.com to get the idea here. It's a theory, with some numbers and reporting to back it up. And with Ohio State hosting Notre Dame on Tuesday, it was time to finally do this. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The 2022 college football season is here, and Doug Lesmerises, Nathan Baird and Stephen Means are making their playoff picks on the final Mark It Down Monday before the Ohio State Buckeyes open the season against Notre Dame on Saturday. In this episode of Buckeye Talk, Doug, Nathan and Stephen start by sharing what they think will happen with Buckeyes. Will they make the playoff? And if so, what will their seed be? Then it's on to sharing all four of their playoff teams. And finally, they pick their College Football National Champions. Thanks for making Buckeye Talk part of your week, and don't forget to read cleveland.com/osu for even more Ohio State football coverage. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Friday Buckeye Talk, Doug Lesmerises finishes his offseason project that was designed to arrive at a final percent chance of the Ohio State Buckeyes going undefeated during the 2022 regular season. To discuss those numbers, Doug is first joined by Tyler Shoemaker, the officially unofficial bookmaker of Buckeye Talk who shares his own numbers on the chances of the Buckeyes winning each game and then getting 12-0. Then Nathan Baird and Stephen Means join to go through all 12 games, agree or disagree on Doug's percent chance on each game, and discuss the final undefeated number. There's also a quick lesson on the undefeated history of the Buckeyes over the last 70 years and of other teams in the playoff era. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Thursday Buckeye Talk, Doug Lesmerises, Nathan Baird and Stephen Means are talking Ohio State receivers. Wednesday night, Brian Hartline and the OSU receivers met with reporters, and all of that is covered on this episode. The topics discussed went in this order: Start to 11:02: Jaxon Smith-Njigba 11:02 to 24;25: Marvin Harrison Jr. 24:25 to 35:23: The WR rotation 35:23 to 37:37: Emeka Egbuka 37:37 to 47:27: Julian Fleming 47:27 to 56:42: Special teams 56:42 to the end: Jayden Ballard Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Wednesday Buckeye Talk, Doug Lesmerises, Nathan Baird and Stephen Means dive into their interviews Tuesday with cornerbacks coach Tim Walton, safeties coach Perry Eliano and several OSU cornerbacks and safeties. The start of the pod through the 22:12 mark focuses on cornerbacks. Then from 22:12 to 44:38, the focus is on safeties. And then from 44:38 to the end of the pod, the discussion is Doug's obsession with Kourt Williams. How is the top-end talent in the secondary? How is the depth? How is the health? Get all that and more on the latest Buckeye Talk. Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's the final opponent preview podcast of the preseason, as it's time to talk The Game. For this episode of Buckeye Talk on the 12th game of Ohio State's season, Doug Lesmerises doesn't have an opposing team beat writer as his co-host -- he has the Buckeye Talk text subscribers. Doug sent a lengthy survey out to texters, and on this pod he runs through the answers and reads interesting takes on the game. How good will Michigan's defense be without Aidan Hutchinson? How intense are rivalry feelings for OSU fans right now? And, most importantly, at the end, there's a discussion of whether this game qualifies as a must-win for the Ohio State football program and Ryan Day. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's another Mark It Down Monday, and as the 2022 college football season draws near, it's time for Nathan Baird, Doug Lesmerises and Stephen Means to check in with some major predictions. In this episode, it's the Heisman Trophy. And the major question is whether Ohio State quarterback C.J. Stroud will win it. The pod starts with a discussion of the history of Ohio State and the Heisman, and some Buckeyes who have finished higher up in the voting since Troy Smith brought home Ohio State's last trophy in 2006. Then Nathan, Doug and Stephen each mark down their top three players for the award. At the end of the season, Heisman voters pick a top three, and this is prediction of what that will look like. Stroud is discussed at length. But there's another Ohio State player that also appears on one of the ballots. Thanks for listening to another Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

C.J. Stroud said Thursday he feels stronger and healthier entering his second season as Ohio State's starting quarterback. He also dropped the intriguing nugget that he is faster than he's ever been in his life. Does that mean the Heisman Trophy finalist will make more plays with his feet in the season ahead? Well, probably not, and Nathan and Stephen discussed what a little extra speed might truly mean for OSU's quarterback in 2022. Also, Kyle McCord is excited about the progress he has made and is preparing as if he must start the next game. Freshman Devin Brown is still catching up to the speed of the game. All of that and more from the three scholarship QBs and assistant coach Corey Dennis. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Thursday Buckeye Talk, news changed the plan. The Big Ten announced its new TV deal Thursday morning, and Doug Lesmerises and Nathan Baird are here to react to it First up is that initial discussion with Doug and Nathan on what the deal means, from the start of the show until the 18:55 mark. Then Doug comes back to comment on what Ohio State athletic director Gene Smith had to say about the new deal. That goes from 18:55 to 29:03. And then Doug reveals the answers to a texter survey on the new deal and networks, which goes until the end of the show. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ohio State football's deep and talented defensive line sat down for their preseason camp interviews Tuesday at the Woody Hayes Athletic Center. But a development on the other side of the ball dominated the day's conversation. Evan Pryor was expected to have at the least an enlightening redshirt freshman season. He showed some of his growth in the spring game and by many accounts was having a strong camp. But he suffered a season-ending knee injury Monday. Nathan and Stephen discuss the ramifications and what the Buckeyes will and won't do in response. On the defensive side, we gathered Larry Johnson's reaction to retirement rumors, Mike Hall's big camp, where Tyleik Williams must improve and more about the tackles. We also learned who has been training the most at the Jack and some details on the fluctuating body sizes of Jack Sawyer and J.T. Tuimoloau. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Tuesday Buckeye Talk, Doug Lesmerises and Nathan Baird are running through a lot about Ohio State football, and a little about life: 2:00 -- The AP poll, and where Nathan voted the Buckeyes, and what voting is like 17:19 -- Kam Babb picked to wear the Block O jersey 22:36 -- Ohio State named six captains 31:10 -- More on Nathan's bus guy, Mike Hall 32:50 -- What offensive coordinator Kevin Wilson said about his future 39:05 -- How Wilson said the run game is looking so far this preseason 46:50 -- Cade Stover, Mitch Rossi as the top tight ends 55:12 -- What Doug and Nathan are Watchin' 1:00:09 -- What Doug and Nathan are Eatin' Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This a big, beefy Mark It Down Monday, with Doug Lesmerises, Nathan Baird and Stephen Means making stat predictions for all the things that matter in the 2022 Ohio State football season. Forcing a pick on numbers is a great way to zero in on your thoughts on the team, and that happens over and over again in this pod. Here are the stat topics discussed and when they come up on the podcast: C.J. Stroud passing yards (9:08) Jaxon Smith-Njigba receiving yards (25:00) TreVeyon Henderson rushing yards (37:00) Marvin Harrison Jr. touchdown catches (51:30) Evan Pryor or Miyan Williams, who has more yards? (1:00:37) Julian Fleming or Emeka Egbuka more yards? (1:05:01) Cade Stover receptions (1:06:01) Egbuka punt return touchdowns (1:10:05) Defensive ends playing the most snaps (1:12:19) Defensive tackles playing the most snaps (1:14:16) Leader in sacks (1:16:53) Leader in tackles (1:22:21) Leader in interceptions (1;28:12) This was a fun pod to record, hopefully it's just as fun to listen to. Thanks for making Buckeye Talk part of your week. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this Friday Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com, Doug Lesmerises, Nathan Baird and Stephen Means are eager to share what they learned after watching Ohio State's full practice Thursday, which is a rare treat on the OSU beat. First, you get to gather first-hand info about depth charts and position groups. Second, you get to watch a bunch of football. All of that is good. So this pod is running through every position group with who the starters and backups look like, which guys might have popped, and where are the Buckeyes deep or maybe a little short. In order, the discussions are: 6:36 -- Cornerbacks 12:29 -- Safeties 17:30 -- Linebackers 26:20 -- Defensive line 38:14 -- Receivers 49:10 -- Tight ends 55:30 -- Running backs 56:55 -- Special teams 59:43 -- Offensive line 1:05:18 -- Quarterback Thanks as always for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Thursday Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com, it's time to get on the bus. Doug Lesmerises, Nathan Baird, Stephen Means and the text subscribers offer up the Ohio State football players they believe in the most for the 2022 season. Which players will pop? Which backups will earn more playing time? Which good players will be great? Which great players will become legends? That's the question, and the text subscribers answered that in a poll that gave then 34 players as choices and asked them to pick one player they believe in more than most fans, one guy for whom they are driving the bus. Doug, Nathan and Stephen then used that poll to work through almost all the bus driving options on the roster. They each gave their bus picks. The read comments from texters about why they picked certain players. And they led up to a top 10, and then the No. 1 choice, for the most popular OSU bus players this season. The whole episode is the bus, so there's no way to give real time stamps here. It's all football. It's almost every Buckeye that matters. And it's bus driving time. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Wednesday Buckeye Talk, Doug Lesmerises, Nathan Baird and Stephen Means are coming off interviews with defensive coordinator Jim Knowles and five Ohio State linebackers, and there's a lot to discuss. Among the topics covered: Start to 17:30 -- An injury at cornerback and the effect it could have 17:30 to 28:44 -- A role for Kourt Williams? 28:44 to 31:24 -- Crypto in a convenience store 31:24 to 38:48 -- The defensive line mix 38:48 to 41:14 -- The starting linebackers 41:14 to 48:30 -- Freshman safety Sonny Styles 48:30 to 55:35 -- The 2018 recruiting class 55:35 to 1:03:55 -- Middle linebackers Tommy Eichenberg and Cody Simon 1:03:55 to 1:11:16 -- Will linebackers Steele Chambers and Chip Trayanum 1:11:16 to End -- Knowles wants a top-5 defense Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Tuesday Buckeye Talk, Doug Lesmerises, Nathan Baird and Stephen Means are talking offensive line after meeting with eight Ohio State offensive linemen and Buckeyes' offensive line coach Justin Frye on Monday. The topics on this episode include: Start to 3:20: Ohio State's ranking in the preseason coaches poll 3:20 to 11:18: The Buckeyes who made PFF's preseason All-Big Ten team 11:18 to 23:23: Frye, the first-year OL coach 23:23 to 39:59: Starting tackles Dawand Jones and Paris Johnson Jr. 39:59 to 44:52: Starting center Luke Wypler 44:52 to 54:53: Starting guards Donovan Jackson and Matthew Jones 54:53 to the end: The backup offensive linemen, especially Josh Fryar and Zen Michalski Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's Mark it Down Monday, and Nathan Baird, Doug Lesmerises and Stephen Means are picking the Ohio State football players they think will be first-team All-Americans this season and earn trees in Buckeye Grove. But first, they discuss check-in at the Ohio State team hotel on Sunday night and what some players wore. Then (8:59), a discussion begins about the latest Ohio State basketball recruiting commitment, which leads into a debate over whether the OSU football team or basketball team will finish with a higher-rated recruiting class for 2023. Both are currently No. 3. Then, Doug has an idea (24:20) to expand Buckeye Grove to include quarterbacks who weren't first-team All-Americans, but did finish in the top 5 of the Heisman Trophy voting. After that, the discussion about offensive skill players who could be All-Americans begins (35:40.) Then the debate moves on to the offensive line (57:54). And then the podcast wraps up (1:09:45) by looking at which defensive players, if any, have the best All-American chances. This Buckeye Talk gets into a lot, but it's smooth. As always, thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Friday Buckeye Talk, it's time to talk running backs. Doug Lesmerises, Nathan Baird and Stephen Means watched a part of the second practice of Ohio State's preseason Friday and then talked to members of Ohio State's running backs room. That meant assistant coach Tony Alford and backs TreVeyon Henderson, Miyan Williams, Evan Pryor and Dallan Hayden. Covered on this episode: How much better might Henderson be as a sophomore? What might Williams as the complementary power back look like? How will the Buckeyes figure out the Williams-Pryor rotation behind Henderson? What's Hayden like? What got Alford fired up Friday? How did the Buckeyes really run the ball last year? What will be the balance in playing younger defensive players this season? And more. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Thursday Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com, Doug Lesmerises, Nathan Baird and Stephen Means dig into the first day of Ohio State football preseason camp. The Buckeyes practiced Thursday morning, and Doug, Nathan and Stephen were there to watch, react and then ask Ryan Day about it. Topics covered in this episode include: Who looked like the starters at every position in drills? What's the word on the backup offensive line? A linebacker who might have a bigger role than expected A kicker on the move? The breakdown at the safety position A revelation about WR Julian Fleming Day reacts to his top-10 defense comment And more. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Wednesday Buckeye Talk, Doug Lesmerises, Stephen Means and Nathan Baird look at recruiting home runs. By their definition, those are roughly top-100 national recruits that aren't from Ohio and don't have pre-existing ties to Ohio State. These are national recruiting battles where the Buckeyes go and win, beating the best teams in the country for the best players in the country. How many home runs are the Buckeyes hitting under Ryan Day compared to Urban Meyer? How many of the recent home runs are at quarterback or receiver compared to other positions? How many are on defense, and how might the Buckeyes hit more home runs on that side of the ball? Doug, Stephen and Nathan dig into all of that, plus the flip of 2023 tight end Ty Lockwood from Ohio State to Alabama. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Since Thursday, Ohio State football saw targets commit to Alabama and UCF, saw one member of its 2023 class decommit, and also landed the quarterback it needed for the class. Oh, and the class of 2025 is officially underway with the commitment of Jontae Gilbert. Stephen and Nathan discuss that four-day stretch and try to put it in context. Also, they look ahead to Thursday's first practice and, more importantly, the expected window of time that will be open to reporters. What will we have our eyes on when we have our first chance to watch the Buckeyes since the spring? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's a Mark It Down Monday on Buckeye Talk, and it's getting very specific about Ohio State's opener against Notre Dame on Sept. 3. Who will start for the Buckeyes on both sides of the ball in that game? This is a way for Nathan Baird, Doug Lesmerises and Stephen Means to talk about the Ohio State position battles, as preseason camp prepares to start this week. But it also puts them on the spot for a prediction: Name the 11 players who will take the first snap on offense and the 11 who will take the first snap on defense. This is a good exercise to run through the entire roster before practice starts. As always, thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Friday edition of Buckeye Talk, Doug Lesmerises visits with former Big Ten sportswriter Teddy Greenstein, who now is a senior editor at PointsBet, to talk about three college football topics: Betting on Ohio State and the Big Ten this season, and the future of legalized betting in Ohio The development of high school QBs and Teddy's new book, "Quarterback Dads" How the Big Ten reached this position of strength in college football and how much former commissioner Jim Delany helped lay the foundation These are three areas that should interest Buckeye fans, and as always, thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ohio State football's recent string of runner-up finishes for top defensive prospects have jarred some fans' confidence in the program's recruiting efforts. Each of those decisions, though, involved an individual player considering his own unique needs and preferences. When you add them up, how much do they actually affect the team the Buckeyes will put on the field in the future. Doug, Nathan and Stephen broke down the potential 2024 roster and simply asked if each position group was national championship caliber. The results were somewhat surprising, with more strength than expected at some positions but major questions lingering with some of the most important groups. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ohio State coach Ryan Day put a number on how much improvement he expects from his defense under new coordinator Jim Knowles this season. Day said the standard is a top-10 performance, and regardless of what measurement you use, that is a big jump for a defense that limped through 2021. Doug, Nathan and Stephen discussed whether that is a realistic goal for the coming season and what that sort of turnaround would look like. Also, what we learned from C.J. Stroud, Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Ronnie Hickman as they took their turns at the mic before Big Ten Media Days wrapped up. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Tuesday Buckeye Talk, Doug Lesmerises, Nathan Baird and Stephen Means are reporting from Big Ten media days in Indianapolis. Tuesday, Big Ten commissioner Kevin Warren and half the league's coaches and featured players spoke, but it was kind of the boring half. No Ohio State, no Wisconsin, no Penn State, no Michigan State. That meant the focus was on what Warren said about the future of the league, and what Jim Harbaugh and Michigan players said about the Wolverines after they beat Ohio State, won the Big Ten and reached the College Football Playoff last season. First, the guys talk Harbaugh. They they talk Warren. Then they talk what to expect when Ryan Day and the Buckeyes talk Wednesday. Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Mark It Down Monday edition of Buckeye Talk, Nathan Baird, Doug Lesmerises and Stephen Means are marking down their Big Ten predictions for the season and unveiling the results of the 12th annual cleveland.com preseason Big Ten poll. Thirty-six reporters from around the Big Ten voted in the poll, picking the order of finish in both the East and West Divisions, the Big Ten champion and the Offensive and Defensive Players of the Year. The guys discuss the overall voting in all those areas while also revealing their personal ballots. This is all a buildup to Big Ten Media Days, which start on Tuesday. Cleveland.com will be there, and cleveland.com continues to produce the most official preseason poll for the league. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's a Friday rapid fire Buckeye Talk to wrap up the offseason as the Big Ten prepares to host its media days next week. Doug Lesmerises and Nathan Baird take more than 15 questions from text subscribers, with topics including: Whether a national title would make Ryan Day more or less likely to stay at Ohio State long-term Recent recruiting misses and what it means for coaches like Jim Knowles, Tony Alford and Justin Frye If Ohio State might be voted the No. 1 team in the country with a Week 1 blowout of Notre Dame Predicting if and when Notre Dame will join the Big Ten How a big J.T. Tuimoloau year might affect Ohio State's title chances What will there be more of over the next three years -- Ohio State national titles or Ohio State losses to Michigan? And more. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's the 11th game of the Ohio State season to be previewed here on Buckeye Talk, and Maryland football is about as interesting as it has ever been in the Big Ten. On this Thursday Buckeye Talk, Ahmed Ghafir, the founder of Insidetheblackandgold.net, joins Doug Lesmerises to talk about Maryland football, which features one of the best QBs in the Big Ten (Taulia Tagovailoa) and two of the better receivers (Dontay Demus Jr. and Rakim Jarrett). That offensive firepower could challenge a lot of teams in the Big Ten -- if the defense is just good enough to let the Terrapins hang around. The matchup will be Nov.19 at Maryland. Since Ohio State's trip there in 2020 was canceled because of the pandemic, the Buckeyes haven't visited College Park since 2018, when they barely escaped with a 52-51 win. Eleven previews down and one to go -- thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Doug Lesmerises, Nathan Baird and Stephen Means (with the help of the Ohio State text subscribrers) created a list of the 25 Most Influential Ohio State players for 2022, and this is the fourth and final podcast discussing those players. The first pod dealt with players 25 through 17, the next with players 16 through 11, the next with players 10 through 5, and now on this Wednesday episode, it's the top four. And of course, quarterback C.J. Stroud is among them. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Tuesday Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com, Doug Lesmerises and Nathan Baird are talking desire and meatloaf. Sports Illustrated created desirability ratings for college football conference purposes last week, and Ohio State was No. 1 on the list. Doug and Nathan discuss that rating. Then in the second part of the episode, they draft a top 21 of all the Power 5 programs in the country when it goes to their desirability as a conference member. Finally, it's another Watcha Watchin', Watcha Eatin' as Doug and Nathan catch up on TV and food. Thanks for listening to another Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ohio State football enters the season as a national championship contender in most estimations. But the sports books have only set the Buckeyes' over/under win total at 10.5 as preseason approaches. Why is that, and is OSU a virtual lock at that number? We brought on Buckeye Talk's favorite betting numbers guy Tyler Shoemaker to discuss whether OSU is a smart bet. We also used this Mark It Down Monday to each make five over/under win total picks from around college football. Is Doug down on Wisconsin again this year? Has Nathan come around on Cincinnati? Which national power does T-Shoe see as a sneaky playoff bet? This episode is loaded with futures betting talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Friday Buckeye Talk episode, it's the third installment of the top 25 Most Influential Ohio State football players for the 2022 season. Doug Lesmerises, Nathan Baird and Stephen Means previously covered players 25 through 17, and players 16 through 11, in two earlier episodes. Now it's players 10 through five, and it's heavy on young guys. Five of the six players discussed in this episode are second-year Buckeyes from the 2021 recruiting class. There's one more influential pod ahead next week, but for now, thanks for listening to this Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The preview of Ohio State opponents for the 2022 football season continues with the Indiana Hoosiers, who will visit on Ohio Stadium on Nov. 12. That will be the 10th game of the season for the Buckeyes, and it may not be very competitive. Indiana is coming off a 2021 season that started with a lot of hope and ended with a 0-9 Big Ten record. The two coordinators changed, quarterback Michael Penix transferred, a lot of players were added in the transfer portal, and this is a new version of the Hoosiers who will try to rebound. Will it work? Zach Osterman of the Indianapolis Star joins Buckeye Talk to talk with Doug Lesmerises about that. Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Wednesday episode, Buckeye Talk is all about Buckeye Talk. No football in here. This podcast started in September 2015, and now seven years later, there have been somewhere around 1,000 episodes of Buckeye Talk. To acknowledge that, Doug Lesmerises, Nathan Baird and Stephen Means took this episode to talk all about the show and solicit feedback and comments. Are the guys too negative about Ohio State? How many OSU podcasts do listeners follow? How many days a week do people listen? What type of episodes do they want more of and less of? Do they think Doug, Nathan and Stephen know what they're talking about, and are they fun? And then two big questions -- does Doug talk too much and are the episodes too long? The preseason is right around the corner, so this is a last detour before the football talk gets more in depth. As always, thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk, and specifically, thanks for listening to a Buckeye Talk about Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Tuesday episode, Doug Lesmerises, Nathan Baird and Stephen Means continue to work their way through the most influential Ohio State football players for the 2022 season. The list of the top 25 started on the Friday pod with players 25 through 17. Now six more players are discussed, going from No. 16 to the edge of the top 10. Two players on this episode are fourth-year defensive end Zach Harrison and second-year receiver Emeka Egbuka, who are two examples of the differences in production, potential, opportunity and age that factor into a list like this. Two more Influential pods are ahead. For now, enjoy this one, and thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Not since Michael Jenkins in 2022 has Ohio State entered a season with such a clear-cut No. 1 choice in its receiver corps. Jaxon Smith-Njigba already has one record-setting season behind him and could be en route to another. But who will emerge as the second most productive receiver in that corps this fall? Doug, Nathan and Stephen predict the runners-up in receptions, receiving yards and touchdown catches -- and a couple of surprise categories. It's the first Mark It Down Monday previewing the coming season. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Friday Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com, Doug Lesmerises, Nathan Baird and Stephen Means are back with a new project. It's the most influential Ohio State football players for this season, and on this episode, the guys explain the concept and then run through players 25 through 17 on this list of the 25 most influential Buckeyes. Doug, Nathan and Stephen each rated players in two categories -- their Value and their Specialness -- and then the text subscribers contributed their Q ratings of players as well. The result? The Buckeyes who will affect fans most this season, those who are the most interesting, exciting, talented, valuable, fun, productive players on the roster. The nine players discussed in this episode range from kicker Noah Ruggles to backup quarterback Kyle McCord to transfer safety Tanner McCalister. Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We are up to the ninth game of the season in our Buckeye Talk preview of Ohio State's 2022 schedule, as Louie Vaccher joins Doug Lesmerises to talk about the Buckeyes' trip to Northwestern on Nov. 5. Louie covers the Wildcats for WildcatReport.com in the Rivals network, and on this episode, he joins Doug to discuss Northwestern's habit of hanging around with the Buckeyes. In their last five games dating back to 2013, the Wildcats have led in the second half of three games and been within three points in the second half of another. Northwestern's quarterback problems and how they might or might not be fixed this season, and who should start at QB vs. the Buckeyes. How much the Wildcats are missing their long-time defensive coordinator. What Northwestern playing a close home game with Ohio State in 2013, on a day when ESPN broadcast GameDay from Evanston, meant to the program. Then there's one more brief guest at the end of the pod. Three more games left to preview before the season starts, and thanks as always for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In May 2021, few if any expected Jaxon Smith-Njigba to have Ohio State football’s most prolific receiving season. As late as June 28, no one would put their name on a potential Buckeye loss to Oregon on Sept. 11. Yet by Aug. 16, in the middle of preseason camp, major questions were beginning to leak through about a potential lack of playmakers on the OSU defense. Sometimes even when the Buckeye Talk crew made an incorrect prediction, the discussion around that choice told us a lot about what unfolded in the following months. As we prepare to resume our Mark It Down Monday season preview series, we looked back on the predictions we made in 2021. We made some very accurate statements: Garrett Wilson and Chris Olave as first-round draft picks, C.J. Stroud as a Heisman Trophy finalist, true freshman TreVeyon Henderson leading the team in rushing. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Tuesday episode of Buckeye Talk, Doug Lesmerises, Nathan Baird and Stephen Means offer a shorter version of their typical rapid fire pod, taking nine questions from text subscribers over the course of an hour. And they are all directly about Ohio State football. No conference realignment talk for the moment. How long will Jim Knowles remain Ohio State's defensive coordinator? How important is run-pass balance to the offense? What are the expectations for Oklahoma State transfer Tanner McCalister? What veteran defender could have a big 2022 season? Should Ohio State have to worry about a flip from 2024 QB commit Dylan Raiola? And more. Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Monday Buckeye Talk celebrating the Fourth of July, Doug Lesmerises, Nathan Baird and Stephen Means are here with a draft. This is based off the idea that 15 years ago, both Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman and Ohio State receivers coach Brian Hartline were Ohio State football players. So now, let's took 15 years into the future, and imagine which people associated with the Buckeyes could be Ohio State's head coach, or a head coach at another Big Ten or major college football program, in 2037. Doug, Nathan and Stephen each drafted six people, one each from these six categories, all of them either one-time Ohio State players or coaches: Current head coaches anywhere Current Ohio State assistants Current assistants anywhere else Current Ohio State players Former Ohio State players not currently coaching Wild card Who went first? Who might surprise you? Listen to the latest Buckeye Talk to find out. Thanks for making us part of your week, and enjoy your Independence Day. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Buckeye Talk, Doug Lesmerises and Nathan Baird report back from Friday morning's news conference with Kristina Johnson and Gene Smith on the Ohio State view of Big Ten expansion. They discuss the future; why revenue sharing in the Big Ten will remain equal; Smith's brief, frustrated dalliance with Ohio State going independent; what text subscribers said about USC and UCLA in a survey; and whether the Big Ten won this whole expansion thing. There are questions and answers, which makes it another Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Doug Lesmerises, Nathan Baird and Stephen Means are back together for the big breaking news of the Big Ten preparing to add USC and UCLA. As discussed on this episode ... "Whaatttt?" The guys dive in on this Thursday Buckeye Talk. as college football continues to change. Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Michigan is coming off its first win over the Ohio State football program in over a decade allowing the Wolverines to win the Big Ten Championship and make their College Football Playoff debut. It would be understandable to think that the program could build on that with a fruitful summer on the recruiting trail helping close the gap between them and the Buckeyes some. Instead the opposite has happened. OSU has continued building one of the nation's best classes while Michigan has just lost the only top 100 recruit its 2023 class had. Has Michigan missed its opportunity? Stephen Means and Nathan Baird discuss that and more. Thanks as always for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Commitment season is upon us for Ohio State and the rest of college football. Stephen Means is joined by the return of Nathan Baird from baby duty as the two project the Buckeyes’ 2023 recruiting class answering these important questions. • How many 5-stars and top 100 recruits will the class have? • Will Kayin Lee be the only commitment of the week? • What’s going on with five-star Caleb Downs? • Will this class end up with a quarterback. And much more. Thanks as always for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We're up to Game 8 of the Ohio State season on our Buckeye Talk game previews for 2022. On this episode, Doug Lesmerises talks to Bob Flounders of Pennlive.com about Ohio State's trip to Penn State on Oct. 29. What's the state of Penn State football and should the Nittany Lions be prepping soon for their own playoff season after watching Michigan last year? How will Penn State plan to keep up with Ohio State in the NIL world? Will veteran Sean Clifford or freshman Drew Allar be the quarterback by the time the Buckeyes come to town? How major of a hire is new defensive coordinator Manny Diaz for Penn State? Will freshman Nick Singleton solve the run game problems of a year ago? And much more. Thanks as always for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this BuckeyeFly Effect, Doug Lesmerises, Nathan Baird and Stephen Means consider an intriguing What If. What if quarterback C.J. Stroud didn't pick Ohio State late in the recruiting process in the Class of 2020? Where might Stroud have gone? What would Stroud's career look like right now? What effect would that have had on OSU QBs Kyle McCord, Jack Miller, Quinn Ewers and others? Would the Buckeyes have been a national contender last season, and a title favorite this season? Would Ewers be getting ready to start for the Buckeyes in 2022? Would the view of Ryan Day change at all? There was no guarantee that the Buckeyes would get the Southern California quarterback. So this isn't a crazy idea. That means it's an interesting edition of BuckeyeFly Effect on Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Wednesday Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com, Doug Lesmerises and Stephen Means are taking questions from text subscribers. Among them: Is Marcus Freeman or Brian Hartline the more likely candidate to be Ohio State's next head coach? Is this a make-or break-year for the Buckeyes in terms of their national status? Is Emeka Egbuka or Julian Fleming more underrated entering this season? Would we rather write a long story or record a long podcast? What will Evan Pryor's role be? How about Zach Harrison's role? How about C.J. Hicks? And what do we miss most about Nathan Baird, who will return next week? Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Tuesday Buckeye Talk, Stephen Means and Doug Lesmerises talk about the latest five-star pledge to the Buckeyes. Ohio State landed a verbal commitment from receiver Carnell Tate on Monday, and he became the highest-rated player in Ohio State's 2023 recruiting class. The 6-foot-2, 185-pound receiver is ranked as the No. 3 receiver and No. 28 overall player in the 247sports composite ratings. Stephen and Doug discuss how Ohio State landed him, how he fits into the OSU roster, and what the Ohio State depth chart at receiver looks like over the next three years. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Monday episode of Buckeye Talk, Doug Lesmerises is joined by John Steppe of the Cedar Rapids Gazette and thegazette,com to preview Ohio State's seventh game of the 2022 football season -- against Iowa in Ohio Stadium on Oct. 22, with the Buckeyes coming off a bye. Ohio State hasn't beaten Iowa since 2013, primarily because the teams have played just once since then, and the Hawkeyes upset the Buckeyes in Iowa City in 2017. Iowa is coming off a 10-4 season that included a loss to Michigan in the Big Ten Championship Game. Kirk Ferentz is entering his 24th season as the head coach of the Hawkeyes. There's a quarterback decision to be made, and a search for some playmakers is on. But led by linebacker Jack Campbell and defensive coordinator Phil Parker, the defense should be pretty good again. It's the Hawkeyes back in Columbus, and it's time to talk about it on the seventh episode of Buckeye Talk breaking down a 2022 OSU opponent. Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Oh yeah, Buckeye Talk is really going back to 1930. On this Friday episode, it’s the first Buckeye ReTalkable in some time, as Buckeye Talk on occasion likes to rewatch and relive Ohio State football games of the past. But a game has never been this old before. Doug Lesmerises and Nathan Baird on this episode break down the 1930 Ohio State-Michigan game, which was played in mid-October in Columbus and won by the Wolverines 13-0. There are some stars of the era in this game, including Wes Fesler, the OSU All-American and future head coach. Also worth watching is Michigan quarterback Harry Newman, a three-year star for the Wolverines who might have won a Heisman Trophy if the award had existed then. The Heisman didn't debut until 1935. There's also discussion about Ohio Stadium's history, and how close Notre Dame legend Knute Rockne came to coaching the Buckeyes. This is different for sure, but we hope you enjoy this old-timey style of Buckeye Talk. Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Thursday Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com, Stephen Means is back to talk with Doug Lesmerises, giving another recruiting report after watching two days of camps at Ohio State on Tuesday and Wednesday. Among the topics: Two young in-state QBs set to make an appearance in Columbus this week A 2025 running back who worked out with Tony Alford The latest on the search for offensive tackle recruits The Glenville pipeline returning? There are two major OSU targets at the Cleveland high school And more. Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Wednesday Buckeye Talk, Doug Lesmerises and Stephen Means are drafting. The draftees? The 10 most important Ohio State football recruits since Urban Meyer arrived in 2012. How good the player was for the Buckeyes, and how much he helped Ohio State win, does matter. But so does what the player represents, and whether he established something at Ohio State that led to more recruits following in his footsteps. There are quarterbacks and defensive ends and running backs and more drafted here. But who is No. 1? Stephen and Doug agreed on that. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ohio State's first road game of the 2022 football season won't come until Week 6 when the Buckeyes visit the Michigan State Spartans in East Lansing. On this Buckeye Talk, Doug Lesmerises is joined by Matt Wenzel of MLive.com to discuss what could be a top-10 matchup, just like it was last season when the Spartans came to Ohio Stadium in late November. Is Mel Tucker, making nearly $10 million a year, in for the long haul at Michigan State? Can he make the Spartans a regular 10-win team and a thorn in the side of the Buckeyes like the Spartans were during the best days of the Mark Dantonio era? Is Payton Thorne potentially the second-best quarterback in the Big Ten behind C.J. Stroud? Is Jayden Reed potentially the second-best receiver in the Big Ten behind Jaxon Smith-Njigba? Could Michigan State's last-in-the-nation pass defense be vastly improved? The week-by-week schedule preview is now halfway home. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Doug Lesmerises could not be more excited for this totally off-topic Buckeye Talk on this Monday. He welcomes The Wolf of Franchises, who runs a website, podcast and Twitter account dedicated to how franchises work, and that means writing and talking a lot about fast food businesses like Cane's, Chick-fil-A and Wendy's. On this episode, Doug and Wolf discuss what kind of money the best franchises make, how much it takes to open a franchise, and then Doug throws out some local Ohio ideas that he thinks could go national. Also, Doug wants to create a business that will buy back his guinea pigs. If you've ever wondered how the business of fast food works, this is the pod for you. And on Tuesday, Buckeye Talk will be back to football. Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's time for another BuckeyeFly Effect on Buckeye Talk, where the past is reconsidered. On this episode, Doug Lesmerises and Nathan Baird (this was recorded before Nathan's paternity leave) look at the ramifications of Michigan's victory over Ohio State last season. What if the Buckeyes had won instead? Would Ohio State have gone on to win the national title? Would C.J. Stroud have won the Heisman Trophy? Would Ohio State have made the four assistant coaching changes it made after the season? Would Jim Harbaugh still be the head coach at Michigan? Would anything have changed Ohio State's motivation and mindset for a national title run this season? And more. One win, a lot of possibilities. The Wolverines won 42-27 last season, their first win in The Game since 2011. How much changed because that happened? Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Thursday Buckeye Talk, Doug Lesmerises and Stephen Means go back to their text subscribers to answer more questions about Ohio State's recruiting. Among the specific players from the Class of 2023 who are discussed: WR Carnell Tate, WR Brandon Inniss, S Caleb Downs, RB Justice Haynes, OT Samson Okunlola, OT Olaus Alinen, CB Daniel Harris, S Joenel Aguero, LB Tackett Curtis, LB Arvell Reese, DE Keon Keeley, DT John Walker and more. Among the topics covered: Recruiting vs. Notre Dame Are QBs starting to come to the Midwest? How is Ohio State stacking up to Penn State and Michigan? Is Ohio State having trouble recruiting on the offensive line? And why new OL coach Justin Frye needs some time The 2023 QB battle With a lot of official visitors coming to Ohio State over the next three weekends, these questions and answers should catch you up on where the Buckeyes are with their 2023 class. Thanks for listening to another Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Wednesday episode from cleveland.com, Stephen Means brings his knowledge from watching two days of Ohio State recruiting camps on Monday and Tuesday to Buckeye Talk and discusses it with Doug Lesmerises. What receivers did Brian Hartline get fired up about and have to offer? What is Ohio State's 2023 quarterback recruiting strategy with another offer made to a QB this week? How did the future interior of Ohio State's offensive line look? What are we learning about Ryan Day as a head coach through these camps? Thanks for listening to another Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's time for Week 5 as Buckeye Talk continues to devote an episode to each game of Ohio State's 2022 football schedule. On Oct. 1, the Buckeyes will host Rutgers for homecoming with a 3:30 kickoff, and on this Buckeye Talk, Steve Politi of nj.com is here to talk about that. But there's only some Rutgers talk, including about quarterback Gavin Wimsatt, who is Rutgers' version of Quinn Ewers. He reclassified and enrolled in college early last year, but as the No. 202 overall recruit in that class, he stuck around. And he has a chance to be Rutgers' quarterback for a long time, and maybe the best quarterback Rutgers has seen in quite a while. But Doug and Steve also talked about the process of sportswriting for a big chunk of the pod, talking about Rutgers coverage, writing about New York sports, and some of Steve's favorite stories he's ever done, from Mexico to The Masters to the Olympics. And then Doug wraps up with why he thinks this once again won't be much of a game. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Monday Buckeye Talk that is dropping early over the weekend, Doug Lesmerises and Stephen Means take a bunch of questions from Ohio State text subscribers, many of them centered around Ryan Day saying the Buckeyes need $13 million in NIL money available to them to keep their football roster together. There's a lot of information shared there, but there are also discussions of: Doug's potential new nickname Why Doug didn't push a guest harder on a topic while Stephen was out Ohio State's 2005 team The effect of NIL on Ohio State's current recruiting class Favorite cities to visit Paris Johnson Jr And more. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Friday Buckeye Talk, you may not believe it, but Doug Lesmerises is buying the Wisconsin Badgers this season. Sophomore running back Braelon Allen could be a superstar. Badgers defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard has proven he's one of the best in the business. And what if Wisconsin quarterback Graham Mertz, a former big-time recruit, is good? On this latest opponent preview episode, Doug gets some tremendous insight on Wisconsin from Zach Heilprin, the sports director at 96.7 The Zone in Madison. They talk about the recent history of the OSU-Wisconsin series, whether the Badgers have any chance of defending the Ohio State passing game, how Allen stacks up in the history of Wisconsin running backs, and the hiring of new offensive coordinator Bobby Engram. This is an opponent worth knowing for OSU fans, as the Badgers will be Ohio State's first Big Ten game of the season when the Badgers visit Columbus on Sept. 24. And Zach drops some great knowledge. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Thursday Buckeye Talk, Stephen Means is back and he joins Doug Lesmerises to discuss the recruiting camp they attended at Ohio State on Wednesday. What two 2023 quarterback prospects were there and who earned an offer? What other players earned OSU scholarship offers, including one who had current Buckeyes shouting support? Who was the player not yet in high school that came from Georgia to impress the coaches? The Buckeyes have several more recruiting camps ahead in June, but there was some action at this one. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk break it down. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This Wednesday Buckeye Talk gets into the numbers of recruiting, as Doug Lesmerises is joined by Bud Davis, who has his PhD in Geology, but who also happens to find the data of college football recruiting rather interesting. Doug saw some of Bud's work on official recruiting visits on Twitter and invited him on the pod to get deeper into the topic. How important is it for a school to be the last official visit for a recruit? What percent of recruits commit to schools that aren't their last official visit? Is there something in the numbers that should inform schools on how they schedule visits, or should inform fans about how to read a prospect's visit schedule? Also, Bud goes into the numbers on recruiting and building a championship roster, and the numbers on the transfer portal and what players are moving the most. Then Doug looks at some of the prospects making official visits to Columbus in June and tries to apply Bud's data to get a read on what might happen with those players. It's a different look at recruiting, and thanks for giving it a listen on Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices