Buckeye Talk: Ohio State podcast by cleveland.com

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

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