Buckeye Talk: Ohio State podcast by cleveland.com

Time for something new on Buckeye Talk as Doug Lesmerises, Nathan Baird and Stephen Means roll out a new series that will drop once a week until the season starts. It's Mount Buckmore, as the guys determine their four most deserving Buckeyes to be honored at several major positions, and then analyze what a current Ohio State player would have to do to replace one of those players on the mountain. Up first are quarterbacks. On this episode, Doug, Nathan and Stephen each give their four QBs for Mount Buckmore, and then they discuss if Quinn Ewers will reach that level. It's history and current football, and it will be followed by episodes on running backs, receivers, coaches, pass rushers and more. Thanks for sticking around for something new on Buckeye Talk. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ohio State ready for start of preseason practice. What would Quinn Ewers enrolling early mean for Ohio State football’s quarterback future? NCAA will not reinstate records of Ohio State football’s ‘Tattoo 5’ despite name, image and likeness reform, What Benji Gosnell’s decommitment means for Ohio State football: Buckeyes Recruiting and Former Ohio State football quarterback Tate Martell reportedly transferring to UNLV. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How does Ohio State football's 2022 class stack up against Alabama? The recruiting rankings say the Buckeyes are No. 1, but Nick Saban's program has made a July surge. Which head-to-head battles are still on the table, and what would Ryan Day and staff need to do to secure the No. 1 class? Also, Nathan and Stephen discuss the Benji Gosnell decommitment, this weekend's Buckeye Barbecue, offensive line recruiting and more. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Big potential news broke early Wednesday evening with a story by Pete Thamel of Yahoo Sports that Ohio State recruit Quinn Ewers is considering joining the Buckeyes early for this season, and could in Columbus in a few weeks. It's not yet a sure thing that will happen, but it's a real possibility, and Doug Lesmerises, Nathan Baird and Stephen Means dove in with an emergency episode about what they think this could mean for the Buckeyes this season and for the future of their QB position. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We went rapid fire for this Wednesday episode. Among today's topics: • What can or should the Big Ten do to lift its second-tier football programs? • What Big Ten game on OSU's schedule are we looking forward to the most? • How do we expect the linebacker starting lineup to shake out? • Which current Buckeye will have the biggest career outside of football? Those topics and much more, directly from our Buckeye Talk subscribers. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

That's one question. The answer is no. But Doug Lesmerises, Nathan Baird, Stephen Means and some smart Ohio State text subscribers explain why for an hour and 45 minutes. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

History tells us Ohio State will add multiple All-Americans to the collection in Buckeye Grove in 2021. Doug, Nathan and Stephen break down the top candidates and give their picks for recognition. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Doug Lesmerises, Nathan Baird and Stephen Means wrap up everything important said by Ryan Day and the Ohio State players at Big Ten media days on Friday. This is actual new info with fresh new analysis, which hasn't happened since April, so probably listen to this one. Thanks as always for being part of Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Doug, Nathan and Stephen are together at Big Ten media days in Indianapolis for this in-person Buckeye Talk recorded after day one of talking to Michigan, Penn State and other schools, but not yet Ohio State. The guys discuss the news of the day in college football -- the potential move by Texas and Oklahoma to leave the Big 12. If it happens, what would it mean for the Big Ten and the Buckeyes? Then there's talk of Michigan and Jim Harbaugh; Minnesota as Ohio State's season-opening opponent; the Big Ten COVID plan for this season; and what Big Ten defenders think of Chris Olave and Garrett Wilson. This is the start of the Big Ten season, so thanks for listening to another Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ryan Day picked as the Big Ten's best coach by Big Ten media, Oklahoma and Texas shaking up college football, Ohio State football’s Chris Olave voted Preseason Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year in cleveland.com poll, Northwestern safety Brandon Joseph voted Preseason Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year in cleveland.com poll and Ohio State football voted unanimous 2021 Big Ten favorite in cleveland.com preseason poll. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's time to unveil the closest thing to an official preseason Big Ten poll, as for the 11th year cleveland.com surveyed media members from around the Big Ten since the conference itself doesn't do it. On this Wednesday Buckeye Talk, Nathan Baird, Doug Lesmerises and Stephen Means reveal and discuss the votes of 34 media members on: The full 1-7 predicted finish in each division, and the projected Big Ten champion. The Preseason Offensive Player of the Year, where 12 different players got first-place votes. The Preseason Defensive Player of the Year, where six different players got first-place votes. The best coach in the league, which isn't an award but just a survey of opinions about the football bosses in the conference. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com and follow the coverage from Big Ten media days on Thursday and Friday. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Doug Lesmerises, Nathan Baird and Stephen Means spent the summer ranking the 50 best players on Ohio State's 12-game regular-season schedule. The final breakdown on the No. 1 player, Oregon edge rusher Kayvon Thibodeaux, helped show the main thing learned from that exercise -- Oregon's defense is something for the Buckeyes to watch out for. The Ducks defense had three of the top 12 players on this top 50-list, and on this episode of Buckeye Talk, the guys talked all about that. Plus, there's a conversation about Purdue's two top-five players, a look at just how good Indiana QB Michael Penix might be this season, a question about Michigan's talent level, and an acknowledgment of what Penn State might have. You'll learn more about the players you'll be focusing on when the Buckeyes face them this season. Thanks for tuning in to another Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Big Ten media days are this week, and the cleveland.com preseason poll of conference media asking them to predict the order of finish in the Big Ten divisions will soon be released. So on this Mark It Down Monday version of Buckeye Talk, Doug Lesmerises, Nathan Baird and Stephen Means reveal how they voted in their Big Ten poll. Each of them discusses their 1-7 finish in each division, with some obvious picks in the East and a slightly more open race in the West. The time to begin making real 2021 football predictions has begun. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This is a different style of Buckeye Talk, one with two friends remembering stories from 13 years ago and sharing them like they would over a drink. It's Doug Lesmerises joined by special guest Adam Jardy of the Columbus Dispatch, and the topic is Ohio State's recruitment of Terrelle Pryor, which both Adam and Doug covered intently. The question on this Buckeyefly Effect is what would have happened if Pryor hadn't picked Ohio State and had gone to Penn State or Michigan instead? What would it have meant for the Buckeyes and Jim Tressel? But the deeper topic is the recruitment of Pryor and how the Buckeyes went about it. And all that leads to a final discussion about whether Pryor and the rest of the Tattoo 5 should have their records reinstated, which they asked for this week. We hope you enjoy this one as much as Doug and Adam enjoyed recording it. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ohio State adds offensive tackle recruit George Fitzpatrick, Should Ohio State football have a 94 percent chance to win every regular-season game it plays? How many projected Ohio State football starters are former top-100 national recruits? and Terrelle Pryor, rest of Tattoo 5 players, ask for Ohio State records to be reinstated. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Doug Lesmerises and Stephen Means look at recruiting on the current roster on the latest edition of Buckeye Football Futures on Buckeye Talk. They discuss: How the Buckeyes stack up to other teams in Blue Chip Ratio. The top-100 recruits on defense. The top-100 recruits on offense A texter poll result regarding Kerry Coombs and Marcus Freeman. It's a tidy little Buckeye Talk as things prepare to gear up next week for Big Ten Media Days. Thanks for listening to another podcast from cleveland.com. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Doug Lesmerises and Stephen Means take questions from Ohio State text subscribers on the big Wednesday Buckeye Talk. The final question is about when Michigan will ever again be a favorite and beat Ohio State as a favorite ... which might not happen for a long time. Plus there's a discussion about Kerry Coombs and Marcus Freeman; what Ryan Day might learn about handling Quinn Ewers from Justin Fields; and what the expectations for Ohio State will be in a 12-team playoff. Lots of questions, lots of answers and thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This podcast episode is overdue, as Doug Lesmerises finally welcomes one of the most important people in Buckeye Talk history -- musician Mike Lewis, the man who wrote and sang the Buckeye Talk theme song that has been opening this podcast since September 2018. This episode is an interview with Doug and Mike as Doug and the listeners attempt to convey their appreciation to Mike, a life-long OSU fan from Columbus who now lives in Nashville and conceived the theme song that changed this pod. Mike talks about his musical career, how he decided to move to Nashville, the process of creating the theme song and how he became an Ohio State fan. The pod then ends with one of Mike's full songs, called "Trail of Tears." If you want to know more about Mike's music, check out his website at mikelewismusic.com. Thanks to Mike, and thanks to you for listening to Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's time to mark it down, but without Nathan Baird, who is on vacation. So this Mark It Down Monday resets Ohio State's 2022 recruiting class with Stephen Means and Doug Lesmerises, before Stephen finishes off the pod by marking down who will be the next recruit to commit to the Buckeyes. Also, there's brief talk at the end about Cedric Russell, the latest transfer to join the Ohio State basketball team. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's time for another Buckeye ReTalkables as Doug Lesmerises, Nathan Baird and Stephen Means break down the ground-breaking No. 1 vs. No. 2 matchup between Ohio State vs. Michigan. You guys know this one -- the death of Bo Schembechler, Troy Smith about to win the Heisman Trophy and the Buckeyes and Wolverines both entering the game at 11-0. Also ... it's maybe Jim Tressel's greatest performance as Ohio State's head coach. Thanks for listening to another Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

J.T. Tuimoloau, 5-star DE, commits to Ohio State football, From Ohio State football’s Ryan Day to Michigan’s Jim Harbaugh, assessing Big Ten coaching stability How Jack Sawyer and J.T. Tuimoloau reiterate the value of Larry Johnson to Ohio State football,Ohio State football’s Brian Hartline headlines 247Sports recruiter rankings following summer commitments and Ohio State football will be ‘all the way live’ with full capacity and tailgating this fall. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Thursday Buckeye Talk, the topic isn't Buckeye Football Futures, because this week's recruiting episode was the Monday Buckeye Talk on the commitment of J.T. Tuimoloau. So it's a regular football episode, where Doug Lesmerises and Nathan Baird analyze a recent Sporting News list of the best coaches in college football. Ryan Day was a big topic of conversation, of course, but that evolved into analyzing the top 20 coaches and whether each of them was truly irreplaceable at their school. And that led to discussions about what would happen if Marcus Freeman replaced Brian Kelly at Notre Dame or Luke Fickell replaced James Franklin at Penn State. It's a good discussion as Doug and Nathan pull apart the nuances of what goes into a ranking like this. Thanks again for listening to another Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Now that J.T. Tuimoloau is a Buckeye, the 2023 season looks even more interesting for Ohio State. The Buckeyes' stacked 2021 recruiting class will be in its third season in 2023, supplemented by 2022 quarterback Quinn Ewers. Could that mean the Buckeyes will contend to be one of the best teams in Ohio State history? On this Wednesday Buckeye Talk Podcast, Nathan Baird, Doug Lesmerises and Stephen Means break down Ohio State's projected 2023 depth chart; the other Big Ten contenders for 2023; and the other national title contenders for 2023. The expectations will be high, for good reason. So it's a ways away, but it's worth a discussion. How good might the Buckeyes be in 2023? Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We brought back Tyler Shoemaker, the OFFICIAL Buckeye Talk handicapper, for a Mark It Down episode. We're picking overs and unders on team win totals against what Las Vegas has posted this summer. Which Big Ten teams do we believe are either over or underrated? For instance, once of us thinks the Michigan line of 7.5 wins is ripe for a bet. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Five-star defensive lineman J.T. Tuimoloau committed to Ohio State on Sunday and Doug Lesmerises, Nathan Baird and Stephen Means are here to talk about it for Monday's Buckeye Talk episode. The normal Mark It Down Monday pod will be pushed back to Tuesday so the guys can dig in on recruiting now. How big is Tuimoloau's pledge? How much might he play this season? How can you describe defensive line coach Larry Johnson's value to Ohio State? What might the Buckeyes be like in 2023 when this 2021 class is in its third season? The guys cover it all. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Nebraska officially joined the Big Ten on July 1, 2011, so the Cornhuskers have been in the conference for a decade. Nobody much celebrated the official 10-year anniversary of the mark this week, but on this Buckeyefly Effect podcast, the question is what would have happened if Nebraska had never joined? Would both sides be happier? Doug Lesmerises and Nathan Baird drag former Nebraska sports writer Lee Barfknecht out of retirement to talk about this topic. Lee retired in 2018, but no one understands the inner workings of Nebraska athletics better and is more qualified to comment on whether Nebraska ever should have joined the league. It's a different kind of discussion, but an interesting one. So take an hour to think about how big of a deal it was when Nebraska joined the Big Ten, and what difference it has actually made over the last decade. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

College athletes start making money as NIL goes into effect on July 1, Terrance Brooks, four-star 2022 cornerback, commits to Ohio State football: Buckeye recruiting, Jaylen Harris, former Cleveland Heights star, and Elijah Gardiner no longer on Ohio State football roster and Ohio State basketball’s Duane Washington Jr. will remain in NBA Draft and forego senior season. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We're once again talking J.T. Tuimoloau on Buckeye Football Futures. This time we brought in the only person the 2021 prospect and his family really communicate with: 247Sports national recruiting editor Brandon Huffman. He gives us insight into how the official visit to Ohio State went, what the defensive end's timeline might be and why the Buckeyes have had such success in the Pacific northwest in recent years. Nathan and Doug also discuss Mentor 2023 prospect Brenan Vernon's commitment to Notre Dame and Duane Washington Jr.'s early entry to the NBA Draft -- and a quick word on Wednesday's football commit. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Wednesday Buckeye Talk, Doug Lesmerises and Nathan Baird dip into Ohio State's schedule strength and the opposing players that may bother the Buckeyes the most in 2021. Nathan, Doug, Stephen and Kayla Harvey have been rolling out a new capsule each day on the 50 best opposing players on Ohio State's 12-game regular-season schedule. So Doug and Nathan discussed the four teams with the most players in the top 50 -- Oregon, Penn State, Indiana and Michigan -- and then started rolling through some of the most interesting names among the first 25 players on the list. They'll cover the top-25 on a pod later in July. Among the opponents that the guys broke down, while theorizing if they could hurt the Buckeyes and how they'd do it: • Minnesota QB Tanner Morgan • Oregon QB Anthony Brown • Penn State receiver Parker Washington • Michigan quarterbacks Cade McNamara and J.J. McCarthy It's almost July, which means it's almost time to really start breaking down Ohio State's schedule and expectations, and this was Doug and Nathan starting to wade into that water. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Tuesday Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com, Doug Lesmerises has a lot of rants and Nathan Baird has to put up with it. Topics covered include: The politics of Ohio finally getting Name, Image and Likness legislation done Monday with an executive order from the governor. Doug and Nathan were both there to cover that and talked it out for 25 minutes or so, the last time they’ll talk NIL politics for some time. Doug ate whole grain doughnuts, hated them and wondered why they exist. A complaint in a review about the pod episodes not being timely enough set Doug off. Doug and Nathan talked about the 26 Olympians from Ohio State and how much the football program should or shouldn’t be responsible for supporting Olympic sports. Doug was mad. Sorry. Thanks for listening. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ohio State's home game against Oregon on Sept. 11 is one of the most highly anticipated of the entire college football season. If the Ducks do not pull the upset, when will OSU next lose a non-conference game in the regular season? Doug and Nathan discuss the Buckeyes' recent history in such games -- including their poor record at home -- and what the future schedule holds. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A cyncial political move holds up the Name, Image and Likness bill in the Ohio General Assembly. Ohio State football target J.T. Tuimoloau cancels official visit to Alabama, Would you take 10 more years of Urban Meyer, or seven more years of Ryan Day? Hey, Buckeye Talk, Jadyn Davis emulates Justin Fields, and Ohio State football has made him a 2024 quarterback target and Dallan Hayden, 4-star running back, commits to Ohio State football: Buckeyes Recruiting. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Buckeye ReTalkables on Buckeye Talk, Doug Lesmerises and Nathan Baird once again go back into the 1970s. This time, it’s to end the 1975 season, as Woody Hayes in his final Rose Bowl, Archie Griffin in his final game and the No. 1 and undefeated Ohio State Buckeyes take on 15-point underdog UCLA in the Rose Bowl on Jan. 1, 1976. This is a warning, Buckeye Talk listeners -- this might be the toughest loss of Hayes’ 28 years with the Buckeyes. Featuring Griffin, Pete Johnson and Cornelius Green, Ohio State was propelled all season by the best backfield in the country, and maybe of the last three decades in college football. But the highest-scoring offense in the country couldn’t get rolling in a 23-10 loss to the Bruins. Listen as Doug and Nathan recap all the categories, from the big plays to the stars of the game to how Hayes reacted after the loss. This game was closer than the score indicated, and even though it’s a tough loss, the game offers a lot to learn about Ohio State’s relationship to the Rose Bowl, Hayes’ coaching style and weird 1970s commercials. We hope you enjoy another Buckeye ReTalkables from cleveland.com. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ohio State football wrapped up its day camps this week -- including a Tuesday session with several interesting prospects. But the Buckeyes also had some recruiting news off the field. So for this episode of Buckeye Football Futures Nathan is joined by two of cleveland.com's recruiting correspondences, Kayla Harvey and Robert Fenbers. They discussed the commitment of Dallan Hayden, the prospects who came through camp this week and more. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's another draft on the big Wednesday pod, as Nathan Baird and Doug Lesmerises dig in on Buckeye Talk. They each take five players from around the country that they think would most help Ohio State in 2021. But they can't take more than one player from any position. So this exercise is really about the areas where the Buckeyes could use the most help. Honestly, once you get past three or four positions, what Ohio State has is as good as what else is out there in the rest of college football. But this draft will inform you a little more about this season's Ohio State team. Doug and Nathan draft a quarterback, running back, offensive lineman, receiver/tight end, special teamer, defensive tackle, defensive end, linebacker, cornerback and safety. What's the order, who are the players added, and how much help do the 2021 Buckeyes really need? Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A new podcast is coming. Buckeye Talk isn’t going anywhere, but starting in July, we’re launching a new national podcast. It’s called the College Football Playoff Show with Doug Lesmerises, and I’ll be joined by one of the smartest, most entertaining young football writers in the country as Shehan Jeyararah will be the co-host. We’ll be coming at you every Tuesday and Wednesday starting July 6. The main podcast each week will focus on the four annual playoff contenders -- Ohio State, Alabama, Clemson and Oklahoma -- and any teams that we decide are worthy of joining them in the discussion. Each week in the preseason we’ll vote on a team to add to the mix -- should Texas A&M or Cincinnati or Iowa State or Oregon or USC or Wisconsin or Penn State or Georgia be added to the playoff group? And once the season starts, we’ll kick out a team each week. You need to earn the right for us to discuss you. For the teams in the mix, each week Shehan and I will discuss those teams in context and draft something about them. Which playoff contender has the best quarterback? The best coach? The best defense? The most playoff-friendly schedule? There will be a $1 monthly text subscription as part of it, which will allow you to vote on whether a team should be kicked out or added to the playoff mix. And that’s where we’ll also take questions for the subscriber-only podcast we’ll do each week. One big pod free, one Q&A pod for the subscribers. This will all start the first week in July and then build into the season. More information is coming, but for now, listen to Shehan and me as we discuss Ohio football vs. Texas football; how Texas let Quinn Ewers get recruited by Ohio State; why Tom Herman failed at Texas; and more. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk, and we hope you’ll join us on the College Football Playoff Show with Doug Lesmerises. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ohio State picked a great representative to the legacy of Bill Willis when it chose Jonathon Cooper as the first recipient of the Block O jersey last season. Which Buckeye will wear No. 0 when the offer continues this fall? Nathan Baird and Doug Lesmerises make their predictions. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this edition of Buckeye ReTalkables, it’s time to dive into the first Michigan game for head coach Earle Bruce, as the undefeated Ohio State Buckeyes go to Ann Arbor in 1979. Doug Lesmerises, Nathan Baird and Stephen Means watched the game and saw an OSU program in transition in the first season after Woody Hayes … and a program that nearly won a national title. The Buckeyes won this game in Michigan Stadium 18-15 thanks to defense and special teams, and a few big plays from sophomore quarterback Art Schlichter. Listen as the guys go through the ReTalkable categories, discussing the tackling and style of linebacker Al Washington, the father of current OSU linebackers coach Al Washington Jr.; the rising ability of freshman linebacker Marcus Marek; the speed and skill of Michigan receiver Anthony Carter; the several questionable coaching moves from Michigan’s Bo Schembechler; and the win that would serve as the high point of the Bruce era as the Buckeyes stayed perfect and headed to the Rose Bowl, where they would lose a claim to a national title with a 17-16 loss to USC. But after losing three straight to Michigan to end the Hayes era, this was a huge win for Ohio State. Thanks for reliving it on Buckeye ReTalkables from cleveland.com. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

NIL bill continues through Ohio political system, Tyreke Johnson, former Ohio State football 5-star prospect, transfers to Nebraska, Former Ohio State quarterbacks Braxton Miller and Troy Smith hope to bring an IMG Academy-style prep school to Ohio, Quarterback Justin Fields, shot put national champion Adelaide Aquilla named Ohio State Athletes of the Year and Ohio State football’s Chris Olave, Thayer Munford, Haskell Garrett named Walter Camp preseason All-Americans. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ohio State wrapped up its third week of day camps during this busy month of June. Stephen Means was there Tuesday and Wednesday firing intel to our Buckeye Talk text subscribers. So I went back through those texts and asked him 10 questions about 10 of the prospects he scouted and talked to this week. Among the mentions: David Hicks, Matayo Uiagalelei, Sonny Styles, Troy Bowles, A.J. Harris and a drop-in from Walter Nolen. the prospects he saw. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this big Wednesday Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com, it’s time to draft the ideal college football conferences. Doug Lesmerises, Nathan Baird and Stephen Means are each drafting a 16-team conference from the 65 power conference schools, which will leave 17 leftover programs. The goal is to find out where Big Ten schools like Ohio State, Michigan, Penn State, Maryland and more fit into the hierarchy of national teams. Should Ohio State be the No. 1 pick? Are Michigan and Penn State top-10 picks? How high do Maryland and Northwestern go? How far does Nebraska fall? It’s a fun exercise about the perception of schools when it comes to football, money and attractiveness, and thanks for listening to it on the latest Buckeye Talk. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This Tuesday Buckeye Talk is dedicated entirely to the looming Ohio State visit of 5-star defensive end J.T. Tuimoloau, who is scheduled to be in Columbus this weekend as one of his five official visits. Tuimoloau is hitting Washington, Oregon, USC, Ohio State and Alabama on his five officials, with Ohio State seen as holding a slight lead. Will his first visit to Columbus lock down a commitment? Does Alabama getting the last visit matter a lot? Will Larry Johnson seal this for the Buckeyes? If Tuimoloau comes, how much might he play as a freshman? And then what would it mean for Ohio State's title chances in 2022 and 2023 to add Tuimoloau to the mix? Stephen Means, Nathan Baird and Doug Lesmerises discuss every aspect of Tuimoloau's recruitment, while somehow also working in talk of Nathan as a local celebrity, and the duties in England of the Royal Gynecologist. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

So now we know the College Football Playoff listens to Buckeye Talk, because they adopted most of Doug's proposal from a few weeks ago. What now? We break down each point of the 12-team proposal and how it affects Ohio State. We also Mark Down who will first represent the Big Ten when -- actually, if -- expansion comes in 2023. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It’s time to get back to Buckeye ReTalkables. The plan is to sprinkle these episodes in twice a month over the offseason, as Doug Lesmerises, Nathan Baird and Stephen Means rewatch and relive Ohio State games of the past. The last ReTalkables was in October, so now that it’s June, the ReTalkables are renewed with a humdinger of a game. It’s Ohio State vs. Texas from 2005, that showdown with Vince Young in the Shoe in primetime that happened to be the first Ohio State football game Doug ever covered. Doug, Nathan and Stephen go through the usual categories to discuss who owned the game, who made the big plays, who made the good and bad decisions, who had weird or awesome style and how enjoyable this game was for Ohio State fans. And as always, the question remains, did this look like a championship Ohio State team? It’s a tough loss but a great game to ReTalk about. So thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ohio State hired Jocelyn Gates as the senior associate athletic director who oversees football. She will have a lead role in setting the Buckeyes' future football schedule. Former North Carolina kicker Noah Ruggles announced his commitment to Ohio State as a graduate transfer. He will compete with Jake Seibert for kicking duties this fall. Kaleb Brown, a top-100 receiver from Chicago's St. Rita High School, became the 13th commitment and third receiver in Ohio State's 2022 recruiting class. Ohio State's second week of day camps featured some intriguing international talent, including defensive tackle Hero Kanu from Germany and tight end Theo Melin Ohrstrom from Sweden. Playoff expansion seems inevitable after a recommendation from a College Football Playoff working group to move from four teams to 12. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ohio State wrapped up its second week of day camps with some intriguing prospects on campus. Stephen reports back on what he saw and who he talked to. He also provides an update on top safety prospect Xavier Nwankpa. First up, he and Nathan discuss the commitment of Kaleb Brown and Noah Ruggles' addition as a graduate transfer. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode of Buckeye Talk, it’s time for another draft, and this one combines a little bit of everything. Doug Lesmerises, Nathan Baird and Stephen Means draft eight rounds of Ohio State Untouchables. The parameters -- take one recruit from the Class of 2022; one player each from the Class of 2021, Class of 2020, Class of 2019 and Class of 2018/17; one current assistant coach; one Ohio State tradition; and one wild card. So in the same draft are Garrett Wilson, Larry Johnson, Quinn Ewers and Hang on Sloopy. There is some cutthroat drafting going on here -- so think about who or what you would take No. 1, then prepare for one of the most fun drafts on Buckeye Talk yet. Thanks for listening to another podcast from cleveland.com. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What came out of Ohio State's first big recruiting weekend after the end of the NCAA dead period? What is coming in the week ahead? Stephen Means and Nathan Baird break it down. They also answer subscriber questions on "crystal balls," Pickerington Central safety Sonny Styles and 2023 quarterback recruiting. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Big Ten football experienced only one coaching change in the offseason, and it involved Bret Bielema returning to the league. Such a lack of turnover is uncommon. In nine of the last 11 years there has been more than one coaching change. On this Mark It Down Monday, Doug, Nathan and Stephen rank the Big Ten coaches based on stability and upward mobility before predicting who will be the next to switch jobs. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It’s time for another Buckeyefly Effect, where we change a decision in Ohio State football’s past, and imagine what the alternative reality would have looked like. This time, Doug Lesmerises, Nathan Baird and Stephen Means dive into the world where Joe Burrow beats out Dwayne Haskins to be Ohio State’s starting quarterback in 2018. How good would Burrow have been in 2018? Would the Buckeyes have won the national title in 2019? What would have happened to Haskins? Would Ohio State be recruiting quarterbacks and receivers at the same level now? The guys look at the short-term and long-term effects for Ohio State football, with input from text subscribers. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices