Buckeye Talk: Ohio State podcast by cleveland.com

On this episode of Buckeye Talk, they're slowing it down a bit. First, Doug Lesmerises and Nathan Baird kick things off with a quick check on the latest Ohio State football recruit, as the Buckeyes added a verbal commitment from C.J. Hicks in the Class of 2022 on Friday. But then the guys take a breath, as Stephen Means jumps in and they partially work their way through an NCAA-style bracket about fast food and fast casual restaurants, voting on matchups involving Chick-fi-A, McDonald's, Burger King, Panera Bread, Sbarro and many more. It was time for a little nonsense after some heavy football talk the last few weeks. Finally, a special guest joins the pod, as 13-year-old Ohio State football fan and Buckeye Talk fan Benjy Pastor jumps on to help celebrate his bar mitzvah and the guys criticize his affection for Skyline Chili. All in all, a pretty typical 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

How Ohio State will be affected by the name, image and likeness proposal See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The NCAA is moving forward with a proposal to allow athletes to make money as endorsers while in college, and on this Buckeye Talk episode from cleveland.com, Doug Lesmerises, Nathan Baird and Stephen Means talk all about what that might mean for Ohio State football. How will the Buckeyes sell that idea in recruiting? How will the money coming in to players be tracked and monitored? How might some schools abuse the idea, which is something that some around the game are worried about? They answered a lot of questions on the idea, moving past the corporate speak to the actual effects of what the NCAA announced on Wednesday. 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

Buckeye Talk is starting to preview Ohio State's 2020 football season. For the next 12 weeks, Doug Lesmerises, Nathan Baird and Stephen Means will talk to writers from all 12 of the Buckeyes' scheduled opponents for this season, running through the regular season in order. First up is Bowling Green, which means a visit from Bowling Green beat writer Nick Piotrowicz of the Toledo Blade. But that's just 30 minutes to kick off this big Wednesday pod. Then Doug, Nathan and Stephen delve into the history of Ohio State against the MAC, look back at close calls, and take input from text subscribers on whether the Buckeyes will ever lose to a MAC team. Finally, with the NFL Draft in the books, the guys look at Ohio State's defense from 2018, which has now had eight starters drafted. They rewatched the Purdue and Maryland games from that season of OSU defensive struggles and, knowing the NFL talent on that defense, took a last look at what went wrong and what could be learned for Ohio State's 2020 defense. There's a lot in this one. 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 football can make a lot of claims about sending players to the NFL. The Buckeyes have been a pipeline for cornerbacks and defensive ends lately, and the program has a history of sending linebackers, running backs and receivers to the pros as well. But not quarterback -- almost never quarterback. On this episode of Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com, Nathan Baird, Stephen Means and Doug Lesmerises look at the 2021 NFL Draft prospects of OSU QB Justin Fields. Could he be the No. 1 pick? What will it mean for Ohio State to have a quarterback drafted that high? What is the NFL future of the quarterback position at Ohio State, and does the school have any chance of becoming QBU? The guys go hard on that topic for this whole podcast as the emphasis remains on the NFL Draft for one more day. 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 Ohio State Buckeyes had 10 players picked in the 2020 NFL Draft, and on this Buckeye Talk episode from cleveland.com, Doug Lesmerises, Nathan Baird and Stephen Means break down the picks in the second through seventh rounds. The guys went over the three first-round picks on Friday's podcast. Of particular interest -- running back J.K. Dobbins in the second round to Baltimore and slot receiver K.J. Hill in the seventh round to the L.A. Chargers. Ryan Day didn't like the idea of Hill falling that far, but what did Doug, Nathan and Stephen think of it? Also, the next NFL Draft in 2021 will be held in Cleveland if the world is back to normal by then. So Doug, Nathan and Stephen went through the OSU roster and gave their picks on exactly which Buckeyes, and how many, should be hearing their names called in a year. Ohio State has seen at least seven players picked in the last five drafts. 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

Ohio State football makes plenty of news in the NFL Draft See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Three Ohio State Buckeyes were drafted in the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft on Thursday night, and Doug Lesmerises, Nathan Baird and Stephen Means are here to examine the selections of Chase Young, Jeff Okudah and Damon Arnette -- especially the surprising choice of Arnette at No. 19. Also, the Buckeyes added a second recruit in the Class of 2022 on Thursday. And Doug has some Last Dance stories to share about covering the Chicago Bulls during the end of the Michael Jordan era. It's another daily Buckeye Talk after we skipped the Thursday Buckeye Talk. As always, thanks for listening. 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, Nathan Baird and Stephen Means join Doug Lesmerises to go over his list of the top 10 Ohio State football assistant coaches he has covered since 2005. Doug previously ranked all 35 assistants during his time on the beat for text subscribers, and now he unveils his top 10 on the pod and takes texter input on the best OSU assistants in their time as fans. Luke Fickell, Tom Herman, Mark Dantonio, Larry Johnson, Kerry Coombs -- Doug, Nathan and Stephen break all of them down. Plus, Clemson lost a top-20 national recruit. Could he wind up at Ohio State? And third-year receiver Jaelen Gill announced his transfer. What does that mean for the Buckeyes? Plus, our view on puzzles vs. board games. 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

An Ohio State economics professor recently completed a study that attempted to assign how much value a 5-star recruit brings to a college football program. On this Buckeye Talk episode, that professor, Trevon Logan, joins Doug Lesmerises and Nathan Baird to talk about why he studied that and what this study might contribute to the discussion about whether college athletes should be paid. In one way, the study showed why a 5-star recruit might be worth more than $600,000 to a program. In another way, it showed why a 5-star recruit might have a lower value of $200,000 to a program like Ohio State. The guys went straight to the source on this one. Also, Doug and Nathan talked about the latest OSU recruit, the 17th verbal commitment to the Class of 2021, as Kentucky defensive back Jantzen Dunn said he'll be a Buckeye. 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

Ohio State has a lot of new starters on defense and at wide receiver, but some veterans in other parts of the offense. So on this Buckeye Talk episode, Nathan Baird, Stephen Means and Doug Lesmerises answer this question from a text subscriber -- which position group will be affected the least by the missed time due to coronavirus? Plus, they discuss how they think Corey Dennis will handle his first season as Ohio State’s quarterbacks coach, and they dip into the pros and cons of ice creams with a vanilla base vs. ice creams with a chocolate base. It’s the Monday Buckeye Talk, the cleveland.com podcast now coming at you every weekday. Thanks so much for listening. If you’d like to become a part of the pod, try our Ohio State text subscriber service which starts with a 14-day free trial, by sending a text to 614-350-3315. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Our Favorite Modern Football Buckeye bracket is over, and on this Buckeye Talk daily episode, Doug Lesmerises, Nathan Baird and Stephen Means talk about Ezekiel Elliott's win over Troy Smith in the final voting. The OSU daily text subscribers decided everything during the 68-player bracket that divided players up on offense and defense and by whether they played in the Urban Meyer era or Jim Tressel era. Over a 19-year period, there were a lot of great Buckeyes to choose from. But Elliott was the odds-on favorite from the start, and the running back from the 2014 national champions knocked off the Heisman Trophy winner from 2006, as A.J. Hawk and Joey Bosa also reached the Final Four. On the pod, Doug, Nathan and Stephen talked about players that defined coaches, and the type of player that might define Ryan Day; they discussed what it means to be a favorite player vs. just a great player; and they debated how winning a title factors into a vote like this. The voting is over and this podcast wraps it up. Thanks for being a part of that and 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 lands another major recruit as the NFL Draft looms See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ohio State added a 16th verbal commitment to its No. 1 recruiting class for 2021 on Wednesday in Tunmise Adeleye.. On this episode of Buckeye Talk, Doug Lesmerises, Nathan Baird and Stephen Means discuss the defensive end from IMG Academy and what he means as the latest major Ohio State recruit. This 2021 class continues to look more and more like Ohio State's 2017 class. Also, the guys discuss what other college football program they'd want to cover if not Ohio State, and they debate the merits of ice cream as the go-to dessert of many Americans. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk, now with episodes Monday through Friday. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The 2020 NFL Draft will begin on April 23, and a one-time Buckeye and two other Buckeyes are expected to be the first three picks. But everyone knows that about Joe Burrow, Chase Young and Jeff Okudah. So on this big Wednesday episode of Buckeye Talk, Nathan Baird and Doug Lesmerises get into those players and other aspects of the Ohio State football program and the NFL. The cleveland.com OSU text subscribers gave us the Buckeye in the current draft and the Buckeye on the current roster that they are most curious about as an NFL prospect. And there were a lot of different answers. If you’d like to interact like that with the podcast, sign up now for a 14-day free trial of our text subscription by texting 614-350-3315. The guys talked about future NFL draft prospects still playing for the Buckeyes like quarterback Justin Fields, receivers Garrett Wilson and Julian Fleming, defensive end Zach Harrison, cornerback Shaun Wade and offensive lineman Wyatt Davis. We took a guess at how first-round picks and how many overall draft picks will be on the 2020 Buckeyes. And then they discussed the players who most intrigued fans in this draft, including J.K. Dobbins, Damon Arnette, K.J. Hill and Davon Hamilton. It’s good draft talk, for now and for later, and it’s part of Buckeye Talk, 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

Recent surveys and stories have shown that a large majority of college athletic directors are in favor of expanding the College Football Playoff from four teams to eight teams or maybe even 16 teams? Why? Because athletic departments fear the financial losses from the coronavirus shutdown and are eager for ways to make more money off college football. And an expanded playoff would do that. On this episode of Buckeye Talk, Doug Lesmerises and Nathan Baird debate whether the coronavirus outbreak should be the driving force for playoff change. And then they examine what it would mean for Ohio State football. They look at who the Buckeyes would have played if the playoff had always been eight teams, and they try to figure out what an expanded playoff would mean for Ohio State's regular season. The Buckeyes are always part of the playoff conversation and they could be affected by expansion more than any program. 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

Ohio State has the No. 1 recruiting class in 2021 so far in Ryan Day's second full attempt at pulling together the best high school players in the country. The Buckeyes are recruiting at the same high level they did under Urban Meyer, and now Day is chasing Meyer for the highest rating ever for a recruiting class. So how is that happening? On this episode of Buckeye Talk, Doug Lesmerises, Nathan Baird and Stephen Means break down how the credit should be divided for the OSU recruiting success. Is it mostly Day as a leader and closer? Is it the assistants, led by Kerry Coombs, Larry Johnson, Brian Hartline, Tony Alford, Al Washington and others who have recruited great prospects into their position rooms? Is it the OSU recruiting infrastructure, led by OSU personnel director Mark Pantoni? We know this class is good. In this episode, we talk about just why that is. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk, now producing episodes every weekday. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this latest episode of Buckeye Talk, your Ohio State football podcast from cleveland.com, Doug Lesmerises, Nathan Baird and Stephen Means talked about what they'll miss most with the OSU spring football game being canceled Saturday, along with everything else in sports. Also, the guys tried to inform you about the latest things Ohio State athletic director Gene Smith said about the fallout from coronavirus and what that might mean for football in the fall. But no one knows anything about what's actually going to happen, because everything will follow the science, and speculating about that stuff just made Doug mad, which is why he ended up saying he hated this episode. Honestly, listen to the four other pods this week first - the three daily ones centering on the spring game draft and the big Wednesday episode on the Buckeye we're driving the bus for this season. Only listen to this episode after those, and if you want to skip this and wait for the Monday pod, that's fine, too. Or maybe you'll find this interesting. But probably not. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Updates on recruiting and a reminder on what Ohio State is missing with no spring game See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this daily episode of Buckeye Talk, the Ohio State podcast now coming to you five days a week, Doug Lesmerises, Nathan Baird and Stephen Means reveal the votes from text subscribers on the spring game draft. Stephen and Nathan each drafted an OSU offense and defense on the Monday and Tuesday episodes, and now here are the results, and reasons, on which team would win. But first, the guys each make a pick for the most important player on the defense in 2020 other than Shaun Wade. The veteran corner is an obvious choice as the No. 1 Buckeye on that side of the ball, but who's next? There are three different answers on which guy will be a determining factor in how this defense fares. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. If you'd like to join the discussion as a text subscriber, send a text to 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 big Wednesday episode of Buckeye Talk, Nathan Baird, Doug Lesmerises and Stephen Means are naming the Ohio State player they believe in for this season, and fans are sharing the players they believe in as well. But it's not just belief. This is the player you are driving the bus for, the Buckeye that you believe in more than most fans. This is the guy you are sure is going to exceed expectations, whether it's a good player headed for a great year, a young player ready for a breakout or a backup finally getting his opportunity. It's not really about a guy like Justin Fields, a player that is already a star. It's more about Baron Browning. Or Teradja Mitchell. Or Master Teague. Or the other player that got the most texter votes and has the most bus drivers lining up for him. Plus, there's a discussion of what the recent basketball transfers mean, a tour through some snacking preferences and a rant or two to ease the soul. 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

With this daily pod episode, Nathan Baird and Stephen Means draft competing offenses as if they were facing off in an Ohio State spring football game. The defense draft was done in the last episode, and all of this is building up to a showdown on which OSU text subscribers will vote (text 614-350-3315 for a free trial). Quarterback Justin Fieds is being rested and wasn't available for the draft, because he would be such an obvious No. 1 pick. With him off the board, which receiver was the actual No. 1 pick? Which quarterback was then selected ahead of the other options? Who was the first running back drafted? Listen to find that out as Doug Lesmerises acts as commissioner and critic, and Nathan and Stephen go through a draft that lets you know a lot about the state of the Buckeyes' offense. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk, now every weekday, Monday through Friday. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this daily Buckeye Talk episode, Doug Lesmerises, Nathan Baird and Stephen Means help get you ready for the Ohio State football spring game that would have been happening this Saturday. In this two-part pod, Nathan and Stephen are going to draft two teams from the current Ohio State roster. Then, those rosters will be submitted to Buckeye Talk text subscribers for a vote. First up is this draft of the defense. Nathan has the first pick, and then he and Stephen go back and forth, filling out an 11-man starting defense plus two wild cards, while Doug sits back and acts as the commissioner and makes snarky comments. It's fun to think about what a spring game would have been like, and it's a valuable exercise to let you know the strengths and weaknesses of this 2020 OSU team as the guys examine the depth at each position. It's defensive line, linebackers and secondary this episode, and it'll be quarterback, running back, receivers, tight end and offense line on the next daily pod. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk, now five days a week, Monday through Friday. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How has Ohio State adjusted its recruiting in the midst of the coronavirus? Ohio State recruiting coordinator Mark Pantoni spoke about that Friday, and Doug Lesmerises, Stephen Means and Nathan Baird go over all the changes the Buckeyes have implemented. Assistant coaches are watching more film of young high school players. Recruits wanting to earn an offer at an Ohio State camp will have to wait. Quarterback recruiting for 2022 might be slowed down. If you care about how the Buckeyes build their roster, Pantoni explained a lot. Thanks for listening to our daily Buckeye Talk episodes, now coming to you every day Monday through Friday. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Buckeyes continue to recruit in football and spring sports give athletes an extra year of eligibility. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Buckeye Talk is going daily, and this is the start of that. This Ohio State podcast used to be just every Wednesday. Then, once things started shutting down, mini-pods were added on Monday and Friday. Now, it's going Monday through Friday, with that regular two-hour monster episode every Wednesday, and these half-hour daily pods on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday. This one covers the remaining needs and priorities for the 2021 Ohio State recruiting class, which already includes 15 verbal commits and is ranked first in the nation. But the Buckeyes could still use some linebackers, cornerbacks, a tight end and a few other positions of need. Nathan Baird, Stephen Means and Doug Lesmerises broke that all down. Take a listen, get subscribed to Buckeye Talk and prepare for more of these guys for however long you’ll have them. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ohio State’s loss to Clemson in a College Football Playoff semifinal is fresh in the minds of many fans. But the Buckeyes aren’t going away, and neither are the Tigers. On this Wednesday episode of Buckeye Talk, Nathan Baird, Stephen Means and Doug Lesmerises examine the future of the Ohio State-Clemson rivalry and get lots of thoughts from OSU fans on how they consider the Tigers in the context of the Buckeyes. The text subscribers (text 614-350-3315 for a free trial) unleashed a lot of rants about Clemson and made it clear the Tigers are on their minds. So how does Clemson compare to Michigan as an Ohio State rival? How do OSU fans view Clemson coach Dabo Swinney? How much of an edge is an easy ACC for Clemson? Will Clemson stay on top of the college football world for a long time, or is their run coming to and end, and might Ohio State help end it? Fans always need to understand the competition. After this episode, OSU fans should have a very good handle on where things stand with the Buckeyes vs. the Tigers. 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 mini-pod, Doug Lesmerises, Nathan Baird and Stephen Means examine the most mysterious of Ohio State football positions -- tight end. Jeremy Ruckert was a major tight end recruit in the Class of 2018, but he hasn't received a ton of opportunities in the OSU offense, yet he's made plays when the ball is thrown his way. What does Ruckert's career tell us about tight ends at Ohio State and what the future may hold? And how does his usage compare to other top tight ends around the Big Ten? Plus, the guys offer their advice on frozen pizza, and there's an update on the Favorite Modern Football Buckeye bracket. Don't miss our big regular episode each Wednesday, and we hope you're enjoying these mini-pod additions to the Buckeye Talk world. 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 have breaking news for this Friday mini-pod. Ohio State landed a verbal commitment from 5-star running back TreVeyon Henderson from Hopewell, Va., on Friday evening, giving the Buckeyes their second top-100 player at running back in the Class of 2021. Doug, Nathan and Stephen talk about what Henderson looks like as a player, what kind of impact he could make at Ohio State right away and what this means for running backs coach Tony Alford. Also, with the Buckeyes landing another 5-star, how good exactly could this OSU 2021 class be? It's a big commit, and Buckeye Talk is ready to dive in. Thanks for listening. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ryan Day explained how OSU players are working out and eating right while away from campus. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ryan Day held a 45-minute conference call with reporters on Wednesday, and on this episode of Buckeye Talk, Doug Lesmerises, Nathan Baird and Stephen Means break down everything the Ohio State coach said about the state of the Buckeyes. How are coaches communicating with players while they're off campus? How are the OSU players staying in shape while at home? What might a return to football look like, and what kind of mini-camp or extra practices would Day favor? All that is covered, as the guys answer questions from text subscribers and describe everything happening with Ohio State football right now, including what kind of food Day is cooking at home. Also, there's a breakdown of the voting so far in the Favorite Modern Buckeye Football bracket. And there's a discussion about the Buckeyes' strategic use of the transfer portal the last two years and what we should expect from the Buckeyes in the transfer market in the years ahead. It's another full Buckeye Talk, and thanks as always for listening. 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 are back with a mini-pod that isn't all that mini as they examine the transfer of Oklahoma running back Trey Sermon to Ohio State. The Sooners' back announced his move over the weekend and he seemingly will step right in as the No. 1 running back for the 2020 Buckeyes, joining a room that includes Master Teague, Marcus Crowley, Steele Chambers and Miyan Williams. How does Sermon's potential impact measure up to other recent Ohio State transfers? What do his recent injuries mean for his expected performance? What were his last two seasons at Oklahoma like? Doug, Nathan and Stephen get way into that. Plus, Ohio State basketball added its own transfer in Seth Towns, and saw freshman Alonzo Gaffney leave the program, so there's a quick breakdown on that. 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

To stay connected with you and give everyone sports talk in a time with no sports, the tentative plan is for Buckeye Talk to start producing a couple mini-pods per week, in addition to the regular huge Wednesday episode. This is the start of that. On this mini-pod, Doug Lesmerises, Nathan Baird and Stephen Means discuss the transfer of Ohio State freshman point guard D.J. Carton; the possibilities of the Buckeyes landing 5-star cornerback Tony Grimes; and how Ryan Day might coach differently in his second year. Also, there are updates on our Favorite Modern Buckeye Football bracket. Thanks as always for joining us 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 managed to get four big verbal commitments this week while most of the sports world was shut down. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We're back with our regular Wednesday Buckeye Talk podcast, because Ohio State is managing to do regular things. The Buckeyes landed four major recruits between March 15 and March 17, and on this episode Doug Lesmerises, Nathan Baird and Stephen Means talked about how the Buckeyes did that and what it means for the future. Currently, Ohio State has 14 verbal commits for a 2021 class that is ranked No. 1 in the nation. Who could soon be joining it? They took your questions on that, while also analyzing these new commits, led by running back Evan Pryor, a top-100 recruit the Buckeyes landed at their greatest position of need. Plus, the guys talked about some of the voting in the Favorite Modern Football Buckeye 68-player bracket, took more questions on football, including the future quarterback battle in 2021, and discussed why the Chick-fil-A drive thru is so efficient. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com. If you'd like pod thoughts in your phone every day, text 614-350-3315 to become a friend of the pod. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We're starting a game, and we want you to join. This Buckeye Talk episode introduces the Favorite Modern Football Buckeye Bracket -- our 68-player field to determine the favorite Ohio State football player from 2001 to the present. Doug Lesmerises, Nathan Baird and Stephen Means discuss the four brackets and all the decisions that went into seeding this bracket, which will be voted on by our text subscribers over the next several weeks. The bracket is divided by offense/defense and by era. There is the Jim Tressel/Fickell era (2001-2011) and the Urban Meyer/Ryan Day era (2012-2019). So the four regions are Tressel Offense, Tressel Defense, Meyer Offense and Meyer Defense. Who might the top seeds be in each bracket? We revealed the voting on that and delved into that debate. Which lower-rated players could spring upsets? We talked about the potential sleepers in each bracket. We'll be doing this for the next several weeks, while also bringing you our regular Buckeye Talk episodes each Wednesday. But we probably also will sprinkle in some mini-pods to answer a few questions, update the bracket and stay connected to you. So during these strange and difficult times, we want to stay with you and provide some fun wherever we can. Visit cleveland.com/osu to keep up with the bracket, and text 614-350-3315 to join our text subscription on a 14-day free trial so you can take part in the voting. Stay safe, be good to each other and 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

Ohio State cancels the April 11 spring game over the coronavirus as the sports world is in flux. 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, a text subscriber asks an intriguing question -- outside of Justin Fields and Garrett Wilson, who will be the most exciting Ohio State football player in the 2020 season? Doug Lesmerises, Nathan Baird and Stephen Means have a wide variety of answers to that question -- and many others. This Buckeye Talk delves into more than an hour of football questions, from Wilson as a punt returner to picking the starting running back for Week 2. Then it's a 30-minute preview of Ohio State basketball as the Buckeyes prepare for tourney time, in the Big Ten Tournament and NCAA Tournament. We give some predictions on how the coronavirus will affect college sports (although that changes by the minute) and then we debate whether Ohio State football assistants get paid too much, with results from a text subscriber poll on that subject. As usual, thanks for listening, and be well out there in Buckeye Nation. Thanks for being part of our pod. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ohio State began spring football practice and there was lots to learn about the Buckeyes. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This is Part 2 of the weekly Buckeye Talk Podcast, since the episode was so long, it had to be divided into pieces. Listen to Part 1 first, then enjoy this 90-minute section of questions from text subscribers. The theme of the most important players for Ohio State spring football continues, but there are also questions about cornerback recruiting; tips for attending games; suggestions for defensive leadership, and much more. It's what you expect from Doug, Nathan and Stephen each week, just in two parts. Plus, there's a discussion on the best place to take napkins from in order to build a stack in your car. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Well, Buckeye Talk finally did it. This episode got so long, it had to be broken into two parts. The topic is the Ten Most Important Players for Ohio State Spring Football, but in the middle of recording on Tuesday, news broke that running back Master Teague was lost for the spring. And that affected the list. So Nathan Baird, Stephen Means and Doug Lesmerises couldn't stop talking, and this thing went crazy. So Part 2 will pop up in your podcast feed right after this one. That episode is another 90 minutes of all the questions from cleveland.com text subscribers. This episode is the guys running down the top-10 list of Buckeyes as voted on by subscribers, as they also reveal their own top-10 lists. If you see the 90-minute run time and think Buckeye Talk ran short this week, don't worry. It ran longer than ever. So this is Part 1 and get ready for Part 2. Thanks as always for listening. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

NFL Scouting Combine intel, Ryan Day's contract extension and uniform number changes. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Nathan Baird and Doug Lesmerises are at the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis, where 11 Ohio State football players are either working out for talent evaluators or taking meetings or both. Before getting into that, they discuss Ryan Day's three-year contract extension and what that says about his long-term future in Columbus. They also delve into what they have seen so far at the combine, including J.K. Dobbins' lingering ankle injury. He may not participate in positional drills, and Chase Young definitely will not. But some other Buckeyes can help themselves by testing well this week. Then Doug and Nathan turn to the Friends of the Pod for OSU football questions and, prompted by Doug's traumatic experience at the Circle Center Mall, the go-to options at food courts. That conversation bounces from Taron Vincent to Chik-Fil-A to the freshman wide receivers to free samples from food court Chinese vendors and much, much more. You can also now subscribe to the Buckeye Talk text service directly by texting to 614-350-3315. Cost is only $3.99 a month after a 14-day free trial. As always, thanks for making Buckeye Talk part of your week. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A potential transfer rule change, a big basketball game ahead and football expectations for 2020. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On the latest episode of Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com, Doug Lesmerises, Nathan Baird and Stephen Means ponder the question of whether it's fair to view the coming season of Ohio State football as a national title or bust kind of year. The guys go over five reasons why that might be the case and then reveal the results of a text subscriber survey on that topic. Then it's on to the proposed transfer rule change in college football, which could create a world where players in all sports (not just some, as is the current rule) get a one-time transfer in their career with immediate eligibility. There are the results of a survey on that on whether fans support it -- but are there potential unintended consequences? Then it's on to subscriber questions and the things that annoy fans about Ohio State football and things that annoy them in life. From bandwagon perceptions to paranoia about media conspiracies to lots of complaints with bad driving, it's time to get some things off your chests. Then at the end is a little basketball talk. It's a long Buckeye Talk, but this week is really broken up like three separate podcasts, so you can take it all in or pick and choose the parts you like best. However you listen, thanks for making Buckeye Talk part of your week. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Two Ohio State players are dismissed and a Big Ten team hires a former OSU assistant. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

There's a lot happening with Ohio State, and on this latest episode of Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com, Doug Lesmerises, Nathan Baird and Stephen Means cover it all. Two OSU players have been dismissed from the team. Michigan State has a new football coach with Ohio State roots. The basketball team is fighting for the NCAA Tournament. And, at the heart of this episode, text subscribers explain what they love about being Ohio State fans, and the guys explain the things they appreciate about covering Ohio State. It's the offseason, but there's a lot to discuss. 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 finished off their 2020 signing class and introduced two new assistant coaches. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

New Ohio State assistant coaches Kerry Coombs and Corey Dennis met with reporters as the Buckeyes finished off their 2020 recruiting class on a big National Signing Day of information. Doug Lesmerises, Nathan Baird and Stephen Means were there to catch it all, and on this episode of Buckeye Talk from cleveland.com, they broke down what they thought of Coombs' return to the Buckeyes and Dennis' first meeting with reporters. Also, Michigan State coach Mark Dantonio stepped down and former OSU assistant and current Cincinnati coach Luke Fickell is a leading candidate to replace him. What might it mean for the Buckeyes if Fickell takes over in East Lansing? Plus, there's talk on what the guys learned from some of the 14 early enrollees they talked to and plenty of questions from text subscribers. All 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

Ohio State locks up the final piece of its 2020 signing class while passing out offers for 2021 and beyond. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices