Buckeye Talk: Ohio State podcast by cleveland.com

The COVID-19 pandemic already canceled Ohio State's spring football after only three practices. Now, after teams began voluntary workouts, positive tests have shut those practices down at multiple programs across the country. For Mark It Down Monday this week, Doug Lesmerises, Nathan Baird and Stephen Means weigh on in how they expect the virus to affect the shape of the Buckeyes' season. Will a solution be worked out to play the full 12-game slate? Will the Big Ten move forward with a conference-only season? Will the season be interrupted or shut down? Buckeye Talk discusses the factors that might make an impact, such as testing, travel and whether students return to campus and stay. They also share subscriber predictions, which ranged from business as usual to extremely pessimistic. Thanks as always 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

It's time for another rapid fire Q&A episode from Buckeye Talk, and Doug Lesmerises, Stephen Means and Nathan Baird take eight questions from text subscribers on this Friday edition. How much should a 5-star freshman play for the Buckeyes? (Though Doug misread the question and as a result there were sort of two separate discussions here.) What do the guys think of the recruiting decommitment of Devonta Smith? What is the best deal in fast food? Which Ohio State assistant will be the next to get a Power 5 head coaching job? What is the ideal running back breakdown in 2020 if all the players in that room are healthy? Which Buckeyes would have had better careers with a different assistant coach? And which actors would play the guys in a movie? Great questions, as usual. They had fun answering and they hope you have fun listening. Thanks for joining another Buckeye Talk. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ohio State loses a 2021 football recruit See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Buckeye Talk episode from cleveland.com, the goal is to steal a little less of your time after Wednesday's humongous podcast. For this Thursday pod, the 2020 schedule preview continues with the eighth Ohio State opponent, Nebraska. The Buckeyes are scheduled to host the Cornhuskers on Oct. 31 after winning five of the first six vs. Nebraska since the Cornhuskers joined the Big Ten. A year ago, hopes were high for Nebraska, but that didn't work out so well, as the Huskers finished 5-7 and missed a bowl for the third straight season. To check in on 2020, Steven Sipple, a columnist for the Lincoln Journal Star who has covered Nebraska football since 1995, joins the pod. He and Doug Lesmerises talk about what happened to quarterback Adrian Martinez last season; the transfer of receiver J.D. Spielman; if Steven is shocked about what has happened to Nebraska football since the glory days of Tom Osborne; and whether coach Scott Frost, entering Year 3, can get the program turned around. Steven also has some interesting views on Ohio State after watching the Buckeyes from afar. It's important to know the opposition, and after this, Ohio State fans will know more about Nebraska. Thanks for listening. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This episode is a monster. But thistopic and the surrounding discussion is as interesting as anything you've heard on Buckeye Talk in some time. On this Buckeye Talk, Doug Lesmerises, Nathan Baird, Stephen Means and the cleveland.com text subscribers on Ohio State football dig in deep on the idea of whether the Buckeyes could develop a mini dynasty in the next five years and what would have to happen for them to do it. The texters voted on the idea by choosing one of four options: Yes it can happen; Yes, maybe; No; No, the idea is silly. Find out how that vote went down. Then listen to other great eras of OSU football history and how the Buckeyes fell just short of mini dynasties. Then run through the modern programs -- seven of them since the mid-80s -- that did achieve a mini dynasty. And then hear the in-depth discussions on recruiting, quarterback development, assistant coaches, Ryan Day and more -- everything that would go into multiple OSU titles in the next few years. It's a high bar, and as the guys explain, Ohio State may be the only program in the nation right now where this podcast could take place. The others are either already in a mini dynasty, or thinking about getting there would be crazy. This isn't crazy. But it is long. 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

On this Buckeye Talk episode from cleveland.com, Stephen Means does the heavy lifting in taking a look at Ohio State's 2021 recruiting class, all of its strengths and how the Buckeyes might finish off what is so far a 19-person class. Since last time the guys checked in with a major recruiting dive on this class, a few OSU targets have verbally committed elsewhere. But three major five-star targets still remain, and the Buckeyes seem to be in good shape with at least two of them. Doug Lesmerises and Nathan Baird are also along for the ride to the discuss a group that is clearly ranked No. 1 in the ratings, far ahead of second-place Clemson. The '21 class is gonna be good, the question is just how good, and that's what the guys tried to answer here. Thanks for listening. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mark. It. Down. Doug Lesmerises, Nathan Baird and Stephen Means are back for another prediction pod, where they put their name on their expectations for the 2020 season and invite eventual praise or ridicule. Today's topic follows up on a similar theme from earlier in the series. Who will lead Ohio State football in interceptions in 2020? Shaun Wade is the secondary's lone returning starter. However, some of the role player rising into featured spots have shown an ability to make plays on the ball and create turnovers. For the first time during Mark It Down Monday, the Buckeye Talk panel was in complete agreement as to the player in question. As always our Subtext subscribers also weighed in with their picks -- including a few surprising names. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's a bonus Saturday episode of Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com. Doug, Nathan and Stephen recorded this to be the Friday podcast before the news broke about Ohio State scheduling Alabama, and they couldn't delay talking about that. So this now became an extra Buckeye Talk treat. But it matters. Because the guys are resetting everything on this episode, so they don't forget it for later. They go through every Ohio State position group in quick fashion and they talk about the coaches and the expectations for this season, just so listeners have no doubt about their views on the 2020 Ohio State Buckeyes. Sometimes everyone needs to take a step back, and that's what this episode is about, and by the end, their thoughts on Ohio State football this season cannot be in doubt. Thanks as always 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

On this Friday episode of Buckeye Talk, it's time to talk Bama. Ohio State and Alabama agreed to a home-and-home series in 2027 and 2028 and Doug Lesmerises, Nathan Baird and Stephen Means are fired up to talk about this matchup that is just seven short years away. Well, Doug is really fired up. Will head coaches Nick Saban and Ryan Day still be leading their teams in 2027? Is this good or bad for the teams' college football playoff hopes? Will Doug, Nathan and Stephen be around to cover these games? In addition, Michael Casagrande, an Alabama beat writer for AL.com, stops by to talk about the series and the agreement from the Crimson Tide side of things. A series like this deserves an entire podcast, and that's what cleveland.com is bringing you. 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 football schedules a series with Alabama in 2027 and 2028. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Last week, Buckeye Talk dealt with Ohio State's five biggest recruiting hits of the last five years. Now, it's time for the misses. On this episode, Doug Lesmerises lists his top five misses and gathers up the votes from text subscribers. In-state offensive tackle Jackson Carman, who chose Clemson over the Buckeyes in 2018, is mentioned, but where does he rank for Doug and the texters? There are also rapid fire questions, starting with whether Ohio State is to Oregon as Clemson is to Ohio State, meaning one national power that the other can't get past. Then there are questions on Al Washington, Demario McCall and movies we'd make people watch. Thanks to the text subscribers for the great topics, 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

The season schedule preview has reached maybe the toughest test of 2020 for the Ohio State Buckeyes and their national title hopes -- Oct. 24 at Penn State. On this big Wednesday podcast, Doug Lesmerises is joined by Penn State writer Bob Flounders of PennLive.com for an in-depth look at the Nittany Lions. There's All-American linebacker Micah Parsons on defense, quarterback Sean Clifford on offense and what the future holds for coach James Franklin. Also, what will it mean for this OSU road trip if there aren't fans in the stands at Beaver Stadium, or if the crowd is limited? Then Doug, Nathan Baird and Stephen Means look at the Nittany Lions from the Buckeyes' perspective: -- Could Ohio State lose at Penn State this season and still win the national title? -- Where does Penn State rank among the best programs in the country? The guys debate them in the top seven. -- Is Penn State recruiting at a level that can keep the Nittany Lions competitive with Ohio State? -- And what if Justin Fields had maintained his original recruiting commitment to Penn State? There's a lot here, and you should enjoy all of it. If you care about Ohio State, this is the Big Ten opponent you should know the most about, and you'll be more informed about the Nittany Lions after this. 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 Buckeye Talk episode from cleveland.com, Stephen Means is back to join Doug Lesmerises and Nathan Baird in diving into the issues around Ohio State as the guys do some more rapid fire questions. Which Ohio State player could be a sleeper ready to break out this season? Which Buckeye will be missed the most after the 2020 season? What about Kerry Coombs as a potential Ohio State head coach down the line? And what are the best concerts they guys have ever attended? Beyond the quick answers, Doug, Stephen and Nathan talk about the news surrounding Ohio State having its athletes sign a coronavirus pledge before returning for voluntary workouts. What did that say about the relationship between the school and the players, and do the guys agree with that policy? There are some quick discussions and a more in-depth one, and it's all part of another Buckeye Talk. Thanks for listening. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mark It Down Monday on Buckeye Talk is about taking a stand on our assessment of Ohio State football. This week’s topic lays out exactly what we expect from one of the Buckeyes’ most important newcomers. Will Ohio State running back Trey Sermon be first team All-Big Ten in 2020? Doug Lesmerises and Nathan Baird debate the various angles. From potential usage to how he fits in the offense to Sermon's injury history to the other top running backs in the Big Ten Conference, they look at how likely the Oklahoma grad transfer is to succeed J.K. Dobbins as a first-team selection. Then they turn to the Buckeye Talk Subtext subscribers for their collective vote and their reasons why they are optimistic about Sermon's ceiling for 2020 or why they have lingering questions or concerns. If you’re not already a Buckeye Talk Subtext subscriber, text 614-350-3315 for breaking new and analysis and to participate in the polls and include your comments on this daily podcast. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Friday Buckeye Talk podcast from cleveland.com, Doug Lesmerises and Nathan Baird are going rapid fire again, answering questions from text subscribers. If you'd like to ask them questions, sign up for a free text trial by texting 614-350-3315. Honestly, it's not all that rapid fire. But there are a lot of questions. Such as: Which Buckeye would it hurt to lose the most if he decided to give up football? As journalists, would Nathan and Doug rather cover success or controversy? Is there any chance Ryan Day leaves for the NFL soon? Who is their favorite non-Buckeye player to cover? Is Ryan Day at the same level as Lincoln Riley as a quarterback whisperer? And who are the top five best recruiting hits for the Buckeyes of the last five years? (We'll get to the five biggest misses on a later podcast). As always, the guys love the questions that texters send. And they hope you'll enjoy hearing the answers. 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

Chase Young is named the Male Big Ten Athlete of the Year 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 episode from cleveland.com, Doug Lesmerises is joined by Matt Wenzel of MLive.com to talk about Michigan State, the sixth opponent on the 2020 Ohio State schedule. Buckeye Talk has been working its way through the OSU opponents, and it's time for the Spartans, now under first-year coach Mel Tucker. Doug and Matt talk about Mark Dantonio's departure and legacy, how Tucker is recruiting differently than Dantonio, the expectations for the Spartans this year, and all the play makers they lost from a year ago. You'll know much more about Michigan State when this pod is over. At the start of the podcast, Doug runs through three questions, including what it would be like if Urban Meyer was still the coach and whether any OSU coach could ever surpass Woody Hayes. 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

This big Wednesday episode is like three Buckeye Talks in one. First, Doug Lesmerises and Nathan Baird do a round of rapid fire questions from text subscribers, including how far quarterback Justin Fields is from reaching his upside and which out-of-business chain restaurants they miss the most. Then Ohio State athletic director Gene Smith makes his first Buckeye Talk appearance for a half-hour interview, as he and Doug talk about the Buckeyes' involvement with the Black Lives Matter movement, whether Ohio State should have more black assistant coaches, what Smith's career as a black college football administrator has been like and how OSU athletes might continue to show some form of protest, including possibly kneeling for the National Anthem in the fall. Then, the podcast ends with three big, meaty questions from text subscribers, all related to the Big Ten chasing the Buckeyes: Which Big Ten fan base should be the most discouraged? Which Big Ten team will be the next to beat Ohio State? Which Big Ten team would you like to see jump up and become a College Football Playoff contender? There's a lot happening on a lot of different topics on our weekly flagship episode. We hope you enjoy it, and we appreciate you 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 Buckeye Talk podcast episode from cleveland.com, Doug Lesmerises is back to join Nathan Baird, while Stephen Means is on furlough this week, and the topic is the ACC vs. the Big Ten. The discussion around Ohio State and Clemson on this pod has often led to disparaging comments about Clemson's conference, the ACC, but now Nathan and Doug really dig into it, thanks to a great texter question. How many Big Ten teams other than Ohio State would be the second-best team in the ACC behind Clemson? The answer is ... a lot. And that tells us something about how much easier Clemson has it. Also, Doug has some gripes about the episodes he wasn't on last week and lays them out to Nathan, and then Doug has a few more complaints about sports writers in general. Thanks as always 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

Mark It Down! Ohio State's winning streak against Michigan has to end someday, right? Right? Well, we're running with that assumption for the next installment of our weekly kick-off podcast. Doug Lesmerises is back, at least for the first half of this episode in which he, Nathan Baird and Stephen Means predict what year Michigan will rise up and beat the Buckeyes. They explain what roster dynamics, coaching dynamics and other factors play into their predictions. From there we turn to the other stars of the show: The Subtext subscribers who make their predictions on when this OSU winning streak will end. Some see a potential interruption in the near future. Some went the full Ray Bradbury approach and looked far into the future for the Wolverines' next victory. If you're not already a Buckeye Talk Subtext subscriber, text 614-350-3315 for breaking news and analysis and to participate in the polls and comments on the Daily Pod. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ohio State athletes participate in protests and demonstrations against racism See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We're closing out the week with a Rapid Fire Friday on Buckeye Talk. Nathan Baird and Stephen Means roll through a handful of questions from our Subtext subscribers to head into the weekend. First up: Which Ohio State football player is the best bet to win a major national award in 2020? Justin Fields is the returning Heisman Trophy finalist. All of 2019's other award winners or finalists have moved on. Could other Buckeyes rise up to contend for major positional awards? Among the other topics on today's episode: How many Fields interceptions would "give us pause?" Could Ohio State's 2020 offense actually better suit Master Teague? After years of rolling their eyes at SEC fans who talked about their grinder of a schedule, did Buckeye fans see the same dynamic play out for their team in 2019? As always, thanks for following us on 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

The Buckeye Talk daily pod keeps rolling right along, and today the topic is quarterbacks. We know Ohio State enters the 2020 season with one of the nation's top quarterbacks. Prompted by a Buckeye Talk Subtext subscriber question, Nathan Baird and Stephen Means delve into having a returning starter might be a bigger edge than ever in the season ahead. They also play devil's advocate on how much of a jump Fields can take between his sophomore and junior seasons. In the second half of the pod, both Nathan and Stephen rank their top five quarterbacks the Buckeyes will face in the 2020 regular season. 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

For the big Wednesday episode of Buckeye Talk we resume our walk through Ohio State football's 2020 schedule after taking a "bye" week. Next up are the Iowa Hawkeyes, who will visit Ohio Stadium on Oct. 10. Nathan Baird talks with Des Moines Register columnist Chad Leistikow about all things Iowa. How do the Hawkeyes keep outperforming their recruiting rankings? How long will Kirk Ferentz stick around? And most importantly, how could Iowa potentially come to Columbus and give the Buckeyes a scare? Additionally, Nathan and Stephen Means reach back to Buckeye Talk Subtext subscriber memories of the 2017 Ohio State loss at Iowa. Some had very visceral reactions to that loss, but some also appreciated it for triggering necessary change within the program. Before all that, however, Nathan and Stephen debate a question that may be central to the Ohio State season. Which is more crucial for the Buckeyes' national championship hopes for 2020: An offense that reaches its expectations or a defense that exceeds its expectations? Plenty of great takes sent in by our listeners on that topic as well. 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

Nathan Baird and Stephen Means confront one of the most common questions from our Buckeye Talk listeners. When will Ohio State schedule Alabama/Auburn/LSU/insert your SEC power of choice here? Actually, they flipped the question around, prompted by a Subtext subscriber. If you could pick one non-conference opponent for a home-and-home series for the Buckeyes, who would you choose and why? Nathan and Stephen both looked west for their answers. (Doug Lesmerises, on furlough this week, likely screamed his disapproval from home.) However, most of our subscribers looked south. This is the Tuesday warm-up before the big Wednesday pod. Thanks for coming back five days a week for Buckeye Talk. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Another Monday, another opportunity to Mark It Down and make our bold predictions on the future of Ohio State football. Doug Lesmerises, Nathan Baird and Stephen Means tackle the question of who will ... well ... tackle the quarterback behind the line of scrimmage the most in 2020. Who will succeed Chase Young as the Buckeyes' sack leader this fall? Doug insists there are only two candidates, and he and Nathan opted for the same defensive end. Stephen strayed from the trend and looked at another position as OSU's next sack leader. Our Buckeye Talk Subtext listeners voted for eight candidates, though one was the clear favorite. To vote on the next Mark It Down Monday topic, or to suggest a podcast topic, sign up for a free trial by texting 614-350-3315. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Friday Buckeye Talk episode, Ohio State's rivalry with Michigan is once again the focus. Doug Lesmerises, Nathan Baird and Stephen Means discuss what it would be like if Jim Harbaugh and Urban Meyer played golf with Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson; why Michigan doesn't recruit Ohio more; what to make of Michigan coaches doing cartwheels over a recruit; and what would happen if the Big Ten realigned with the Buckeyes and Wolverines in separate divisions. There are some other Big Ten-related questions from text subscribers, and with new listeners finding the pod every week, those subscribers offered slogan suggestions for Buckeye Talk to inform new listeners what this podcast is all about. Whether you are old or new, thanks so much for being a listener. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Oh baby, there is a good fight in this episode. On this Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com, Doug Lesmerises lined up against Nathan Baird and Stephen Means in a major disagreement over how many losses it would take this season for Ohio State fans to lose faith in Ryan Day. Major difference of opinion near the end of this one as the guys took eight questions from text subscribers. But first, they dealt with questions about whether the Big Ten will ever catch up with the SEC and whether there is a surge in Big Ten recruiting this season. At the end, they took subscriber answers on whether Alabama or Clemson is the bigger challenge for Ohio State as a national title contender this year, and debated quarterback skill vs. motivation in what will be driving the best teams in the country. It's a heated Buckeye Talk, and 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 adds a recruit and plans to return from the coronavirus shutdown. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this big Wednesday episode of Buckeye Talk, America's favorite Ohio State football podcast, the comparison is to the national champs. Can Ohio State's offense this season be as dangerous and dynamic as LSU's offense last season? To figure that out, Doug Lesmerises, Nathan Baird and Stephen Means watched several LSU games from last year, and they broke down the comparison into five areas: play calling, offensive line, receivers, running back and the quarterback comparison between Joe Burrow and Justin Fields. There were some areas where the Buckeyes absolutely have the potential to match up with one of the great offenses in college football history, and other areas where Ohio State might have trouble reaching that LSU level. Find out what the guys think of each comparison. Also, there's a discussion of Ohio State's latest 2021 recruit, and final voting in the fast food bracket that will be reduced from the Sweet 16 to a champion. 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 Tuesday Buckeye Talk episode is all about coaching, as the guys key in on four areas based on questions from our text subscribers: Which current Ohio State football players will make the best coaches someday? Who would set up as a better replacement for Ryan Day a decade from now, Luke Fickell still as the Cincinnati head coach, or Brian Hartline if he becomes Ohio State's offensive coordinator? Which current opposing coaches are the most dangerous to the Buckeyes, and are they in the Big Ten or are they national rivals? Which Michigan coach taking over for Jim Harbaugh would provide the greatest challenge to the Buckeyes? Doug Lesmerises, Stephen Means and Nathan Baird answer those questions. If you'd like to ask questions that lead to podcast discussions, sign up for a free trial as a text subscriber by texting 614-350-3315. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We're back with the second installment of Mark It Down Monday. The Buckeye Talk gang of Doug Lesmerises, Nathan Baird and Stephen Means gets specific with a big prediction about the near future of Ohio State football. In what year will the Buckeyes win their next national championship, and who will be the quarterback? Returning Heisman Trophy finalist Justin Fields leading OSU to the 2020 championship may be the obvious answer for some. But are the Buckeyes talented enough on both sides of the ball relative to the national competition? If Ohio State is a couple of years or more away from winning it all, which quarterback will get it done? Two true freshmen are battling to back Fields up in 2020, and another top recruit comes on board for 2021. The Buckeye Talk crew debates the importance of a quarterback in winning the championship and whether Kyle McCord can step in immediately in 2021 and beat out CJ Stroud and Jack Miller to run the show. As always they turn to the subtext subscribers to continue the debate. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Friday Buckeye Talk episode from cleveland.com, Doug Lesmerises is joined by Adam Rittenberg of ESPN.com. They talk about Adam's recent ranking of the best head coaching hires and coordinator hires in college football in the last 25 years, and where Urban Meyer, Jim Tressel, Ryan Day, Kevin Wilson and Tom Herman rank on that list. Also among the topics: Would Ohio State have won the 2015 national title if Herman as stayed on as offensive coordinator? Does Ohio State need to win a national title in the next three years? Will Wilson be hired by another school as a head coach soon? It's a great episode giving some national college football context to Ohio State, so thanks for listening to it. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Busy Thursday Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com, as Doug Lesmerises, Nathan Baird and Stephen Means answer six text subscriber questions, and then Nathan and Doug go into the latest from Ohio State athletic director Gene Smith about what a 2020 season might look like with coronavirus restrictions. Among the questions from subscribers are a particular Michigan criticism of Ohio State that really grinds a texter's gears; whether an OSU national title in 2020 would come with an asterisk; whether the basketball program grabbed transfers too early; and whether players returning off the shutdown will be able to play their best. Then it's a healthy discussion about how many fans might be at OSU games in the fall, whether the Oregon game will be played, and what a season of only Big Ten games would look like. 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

The Buckeyes are planning for what a limited season might look like in 2020 See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this big Wednesday episode of Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com, Doug Lesmerises and Nathan Baird are joined by Keith Sargeant of NJ.com to talk about Rutgers football and the return of former coach Greg Schiano. This is part of their series previewing Ohio State's 2020 schedule, and the Scarlet Knights are scheduled to be the Big Ten opener in Week 4. Keith talks about how much OSU transfer Brendon White will contribute to the Rutgers defense, whether Schiano is at Rutgers for the long haul, whether Schiano could ever raise that program to the level of a team like Michigan State, and what it would look like if Rutgers ever does beat Ohio State. But before that, Doug, Nathan and Stephen Means take an hour of text subscriber questions on a range of OSU topics, from Jack Miller to Kerry Coombs, from Damon Arnette to Kamryn Babb, and also get into the worst journalism mistakes of their careers. It's another jam-packed Wednesday episode from Buckeye Talk, which is now coming at you five days a week. 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 linebackers have three veteran starters back, three veteran backups on the second team ... and a wide range of what they could be as a group. On this Buckeye Talk episode, Doug Lesmerises, Nathan Baird and Stephen Means take on the first of what will be 11 position group breakdown episodes for the 2020 Buckeyes over the next several weeks. The linebackers are up. They talk about whether the group will be better or worse in 2020, and then what will happen in 2021. They identify strengths and weaknesses, make a crazy prediction each, pick a player they most want to watch and then assign a level of confidence to the group. Plus, Doug gives his three best OSU linebackers over the last 15 years. Also, the podcast got a new logo. Busy times at Buckeye Talk, so thanks for coming along on the ride. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Welcome to the inaugural "Mark It Down Monday," where the Buckeye Talk crew of Doug Lesmerises, Nathan Baird and Stephen Means put their names on predictions and stances around Ohio State football. First up: How many future Heisman Trophy finalists are on the Buckeyes' 2020 roster? Justin Fields has already been to New York once. Will he return after the coming season? Among the other returnees and incoming freshmen, who will have the combination of talent and opportunity to build a legitimate Heisman campaign? Can another defensive player make a Chase Young-like run? As Ohio State becomes a destination for elite wide receiver classes, could one of them erupt for enough production to pile up votes? This will be our new format to kick off the week during the offseason. As always, we also included our Buckeye Talk subtext subscriber votes and reactions on the pod. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ohio State players and staffers continue to adjust to the coronavirus See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Time for more quick-hit debates on Buckeye Talk, as this Friday pod includes seven questions from text subscribers. Doug Lesmerises, Nathan Baird and Stephen Means discuss what it would be like if Tate Martell was still Ohio State's quarterback; their lame predictions for this season; whether they would eat kangaroo; if OSU fans should want Maryland to land a 5-star quarterback; how they balance their connection to Cleveland and Columbus; the next OSU assistant to be a head coach; and their pitches for a movie about the coronavirus pandemic. Thanks for the good response to the quick answer podcast on Wednesday. This won't be the new form for Buckeye Talk all the time, but the guys will work this style in on a regular basis to keep things moving. Thanks for making Buckeye Talk part of your day. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Buckeye Talk is working its way through Ohio State's 2020 schedule and previewing all 12 games. This week, it's time for the final non-conference game, a Week 3 showdown against MAC opponent Buffalo. So to talk about that game, Doug Lesmerises welcomed Buffalo coach Lance Leipold, who is entering Year 6 with the Bulls. Two years ago, Buffalo won 10 games and last year, the Bulls won the first bowl game in program history. And they have a lot back. So Buffalo again is expected to compete at the top of the Mid-American Conference. Doug and Lance talked about what the Bulls have back on offense and defense, the keys to building a winning program in the MAC and why he left Wisconsin-Whitewater, where he had won six Division III national titles, to take over at Buffalo in 2015. If you care about the teams that Ohio State plays, you'll care about this episode. 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

This Buckeye Talk episode is coming at you quickly and in short bursts. To keep this big Wednesday pod light and snappy, Nathan Baird, Stephen Means and Doug Lesmerises are debating 20 topics suggested by text subscribers. If you want to help create this podcast, sign up for a text subscription, including a 14-day free trial to test it out, by texting 614-350-3315. The debate was limited on each topic to about five minutes, and then the guys finished off the pod with the next round of voting in the fast food bracket, as they moved through the Round of 32. But this was football heavy. How often should Ohio State be expected to win a national title? Which is the next Big Ten playoff team besides Ohio State? Will the Big Ten expand? Why is Ohio State recruiting in Kentucky this cycle? Will the Buckeyes finish with the No. 1 recruiting class in 2021? What would the guys do if they covered a game in an empty stadium because of coronavirus? What do they think of Jim Harbaugh’s suggestion to let college football players go to the NFL after one year? If they could make their own 30 for 30 documentary, what topic would they choose? If they covered another sport, what would it be? They covered all those questions and more, and it kept the episode moving, from the Buckeyes to the Big Ten, from recruiting to coronavirus. They had fun making it, and they hope you have fun listening to it. Thanks for making Buckeye Talk part of your day. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Buckeye Talk episode from cleveland.com, Doug Lesmerises and Nathan Baird dive into four different scenarios about what's more likely to happen in the 2020 Ohio State football season, as presented by Stephen Means. No.1 -- Are the Buckeyes more likely to have a player win the award for the best receiver in the nation or best defensive back in the nation? No. 2 -- Are the Buckeyes going to have more All-Americans on offense or defense? No. 3 -- Is Justin Fields more likely to lead the nation in passing touchdowns or the Big Ten in rushing touchdowns? No. 4 -- Are the Buckeyes going to score more touchdowns on defense or more touchdowns on special teams? Stephen, Doug and Nathan debate their answers to those questions, and they appreciate you listening to Buckeye Talk. 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, Doug Lesmerises is putting Ohio State's Week 2 non-conference game against Oregon in historical context. Last week, Buckeye Talk previewed everything about the Ducks, who are scheduled to host the Buckeyes on Sept. 12. Now, it's time to compare this matchup against a presumed top-10 opponent to big non-conference games of the past. Notre Dame in the mid-90s. Texas in 2005 and 2006. USC in 2008 and 2009. Oklahoma in 2016 and 2017. What makes Oregon different from those opponents and what makes Oregon similar? It's just Doug for this one, but he's joined by a lot of great thoughts from text subscribers who offered up their most nervous non-conference moments as OSU fans -- and who explained why they aren't as nervous with Urban Meyer and Ryan Day as they were in the past. 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

This Buckeye Talk episode from cleveland.com is all about the Ohio State-Michigan rivalry and the two guests joining Doug Lesmerises are writers who understand The Game from both sides. Kyle Rowland and Dave Briggs of The Toledo Blade join Doug to talk about Jim Harbaugh's approach to the rivalry, things he might ever adjust about that approach, what he's like when he's not standing at an interview podium, and if the current trajectory of the Ohio State-Michigan game is ever going to change. Rowland is the Ohio State beat writer for The Blade but covered Michigan for three years, and Briggs writes about both teams as The Blade sports columnist, so they bring perspectives that understand both sides of this. Has Harbaugh been a success or a failure at Michigan? At the end of the pod, everyone discusses whether Urban Meyer underachieved at Ohio State. For fans of the Buckeyes, this is a look at Michigan within the context of Ohio State that you don't want to miss. 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

This Buckeye Talk episode from cleveland.com features a difficult decision -- which Ohio State quarterback of the last 15 years would you choose for one game, and which would you choose for one season, in this Ryan Day offense? Doug Lesmerises and Stephen Means offer their choices in this scenario, and then the text subscribers chime in, as Doug tallies the votes and breaks down their thoughts on all the options -- Troy Smith, Terrelle Pryor, Braxton Miller, J.T. Barrett, Cardale Jones, Dwayne Haskins and Justin Fields. Who won the vote? Who did Stephen and Doug choose? What would Pryor have been like if Day was his quarterbacks coach? For a huge discussion of recent Ohio State quarterback play, this is your pod. Thanks for listening. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Buckeyes add an Australian punter to their recruiting class. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Strap in, Ohio State fans, because this one is going to take quite some time. The big Wednesday Buckeye Talk episode this week is just one thing -- a gigantic preview of one of the most intriguing and important non-conference games of the 2020 college football season. Ohio State is scheduled to visit Oregon in Week 2 and cleveland.com is diving into that game as part of the plan to preview every game on the OSU schedule, week by week. They started with Bowling Green last Wednesday, and now they're looking at the game that is planned for Sept. 12, 2020, when the Buckeyes should be playing in Autzen Stadium for the first time since 1967, when the Buckeyes visited Oregon to play what was then just the second game ever in the brand new campus stadium in Eugene. Ohio State is 9-0 vs. Oregon, with six wins in Columbus and the last two wins in memorable national showdowns -- in the Rose Bowl on Jan. 1, 2010, and in the National Championship Game of the first College Football Playoff on Jan. 12, 2015. In most early preseason rankings for 2020, the Buckeyes are a top-three team and the Ducks are a top-10 team. Get ready to learn why. The guest this week is James Crepea, the Oregon beat writer for OregonLive.com who just happens to be an Ohio State graduate. He joined Stephen Means and Doug Lesmerises for the entire show as they went through everything related to this game. • The Oregon starting quarterback battle • Ryan Day’s potential connections to Oregon • Whether Oregon should be the best program in the Pac-12 • All-American left tackle Penei Sewell and what his presence means for the OSU pass rush • Whether Oregon’s secondary is the best in the Pac-12 • If Oregon has faced a quarterback like Justin Fields • The pass rush led by Kayvon Thibodeaux • If Oregon will have an advantage with new name, likeness and image legislation from the NCAA It’s long and in-depth and it includes some shouting, which means it’s just another episode of Buckeye Talk. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

ESPN’s preseason rating of teams, the Football Power Index, has Wisconsin with the fourth-best chance to make the College Football Playoff right now, behind Clemson, Ohio State and Alabama. While it’s early, and that’s a computer model that relies a lot on the previous year’s performance, and while the world is dealing with a pandemic ... Doug Lesmerises just can’t see something like that about Wisconsin and let it sit. So ... this Buckeye Talk episode includes a lot of ranting. Stephen Means and Doug discuss the Badgers as a playoff contender, whether they could beat Ohio State in a Big Ten Championship Game, whether they could get in with a Big Ten title game loss, what type of season it would take for two Big Ten teams to make the playoff, and what kind of quarterback play is required these days to be a real playoff contender. Michigan State made the playoff in 2015 ... does that mean Wisconsin could do it, too, or does that blowout Michigan State suffered in the playoff hurt Wisconsin’s chances with the playoff committee? If you’ve heard Doug rant about overrated Wisconsin teams in the past, then you know what to expect. If you haven’t heard that rant, then try this episode, you’ll either love it or hate it. 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

If you could take one player off another 2020 college football team and add him to Ohio State for this season, which player would it be? On this Buckeye Talk episode from cleveland.com, Nathan Baird, Stephen Means and Doug Lesmerises answer that question, and then text subscribers jump in with their choices. Would it be a cornerback? A running back? A linebacker? A pass rusher? Would it come from a regular-season foe that might miss the player that the Buckeyes were stealing, like Penn State, Oregon or Michigan? Or would it be best to cripple a national title contender like Clemson or Alabama? A lot of names are chosen and various strategies employed, and potential OSU weaknesses examined. Then, it's part two of the fast food bracket that the guys started on Friday. There's voting on another 16 matchups of fast food and fast casual restaurants, including Five Guys, Taco Bell, In-N-Out and Swenson's. And there's plenty of disagreement. It's about two-thirds football talk and one-third fast food talk, which makes it another normal Buckeye Talk. Thanks for listening. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices