The Buckeye’s second Spring under Coach Urban Meyer is wrapping up, and it is doing so in a much different venue. The Ohio State football team is taking their talents to Paul Brown Stadium tomorrow at 1:00 EDT for the annual LiFE Spring Game.

The need for a change of venue was necessary as Ohio Stadium undergoes a few renovations. Of course, there is a much larger reason for this change, as well. Ohio State needs Cincinnati. Much of the State’s top talent resides in the Cincinnati area and it is far from being a Buckeye stronghold. This is the main reason why the game is being played there instead of Cleveland. OSU really doesn’t need a lot of help in Cleveland. They have pretty much established themselves as top dogs. Cincinnati is a different story.

In fact, sometimes it’s tough to tell if Cincinnati is even in Ohio. Many top recruits have headed elsewhere and it was never really a big shock. The loyalty to the Scarlet and Gray in the area isn’t nearly as strong as it is throughout the rest of the State. This isn’t even because of the Bearcats. There is a freakishly large number of Notre Dame, Louisville and Kentucky fans in the greater Cincinnati area. Meyer wants to change that. His ties to the area go a long way towards doing so, and he’s hoping bringing the Buckeyes to them will give yet another nudge.

The Spring Game also benefits a good cause. LiFE Sports, Learning and Fitness & Education through Sports, is a youth development initiative run by the Ohio State Department of Athletics and the Ohio State College of Social Work. The program offers economically disadvantaged children and teens, ages 9-17, sport and education instruction during the summer months. This keeps the kids out of trouble and in a safe environment.

If you can’t make it to Cincy for the game, it will be aired on tape delay at 7PM EDT on BTN. If you don’t want to wait, you can stream it live on BTN2Go. Radio coverage will be on WBNS 97.1 FM The Fan in Columbus and WDJO AM-1480 in Cincinnati.

Seven Buckeyes will participate in the NFL Combine this week in Indianapolis. This is the biggest job interview of their lives and has the potential to make or break their careers in a span of just a few minutes. No pressure or anything. The combine workouts begin this weekend with TE, OL and Special teams on Saturday and wraps up with DBs on Tuesday.

The highest grade in this pack of Buckeyes is owned by Johnathan Hankins (88.6) and the lowest grade has been bestowed upon Jake Stoneburner (54.1). We probably don’t even need to talk about Hankins. Everyone knows that he is a potential top 12 pick and that the only knock on him is the appearance of fatigue. He’s a beast, plain and simple, and he will likely have a pretty nice little NFL career.

Stoneburner, who felt like a pretty huge letdown given the raw potential and the opportunities in the Urban Meyer offense, may have the best shot to really improve his stock. I’ve been pretty high on Stoneburner for the past couple of years, going so far as to say he had Mackey award potential at one point, so I’m going to continue to beat that drum. It’s a pretty deep draft for TEs, and he probably needs to bulk up just a little bit, but my gut says he could be a huge steal. I could be disappointed, yet again, but we’ll see.

Speaking of potential, Zach Boren (64.0) could be a true diamond in the rough. He is participating in the combine as a FB, though he wrapped up his Buckeye career at LB. This may have actually helped improve his draft stock as he showed agility that wouldn’t necessarily be showcased at the FB position. At minimum, he could be a special teams gem who gets a shot to prove himself and work his way up.

John Simon (70.5) has been slapped with the T-rex tag. His arms are just not long enough for some scouts. He’s also seen as “too muscular” by some scouts and there are fears it would affect his agility and flexibility. Simon is a leader, though, and possibly one of the hardest working individuals on the planet, so teams who covet players who actually work will love him. Reading Simon’s scouting report is somewhat of a contradiction as people praise his motor, then say he struggles to get off blocks. His injury at the Senior Bowl didn’t help matters, but Simon will absolutely kill some of the workouts and that can’t possibly hurt.

Reid Fragel (77.0) is the second-highest graded Buckeye and is in the Combine as an OL. That’s not too shabby for a guy who is still learning how to be an OL after moving from TE. The biggest knock on him appears to simply be the fact that he is still learning to be an O-lineman. Some see him as a potential starter, and I wouldn’t be shocked to see him go higher than expected as long as his combine goes well.

Nate Williams (68.7) makes three D-linemen in the combine. That’s depressing as it shows what a huge gap there is to fill for 2013. The big question hovering about Williams is his knee. He suffered a season ending injury against Akron, underwent micro-fracture surgery and will be poked and prodded by any possible suitors.

Etienne Sabino (61.3) will have to prove himself to get a decent shot. The big question mark for scouts is his lateral movement. That’s not a good question mark if you are an outside LB. He’s fast enough, and he certainly passes the eyeball test, but he could be one of those guys that shines in special teams and gets a shot when someone else goes down.

If you’re into watching people workout and stuff, coverage will be on the NFL Network.

Did you have fun last night? I hope so. Today is Ash Wednesday and the start of Lent. Now, I’m not Catholic, but I will usually find one thing to give up for Lent for the soul purpose of testing my willpower. I will oftentimes fail miserably in my efforts as I am highly impressionable and will succumb to peer pressure at an alarming rate. I haven’t decided what I will give up, if anything, this year. It will not be coffee, as that ship has sailed. Instead, I’ve decided things that various Buckeyes should give up.

Gene Smith:

His job. Seriously. Please leave. I’m not expanding upon this one as anyone with any insight into my thoughts is well aware of how I feel about Gene Smith. Thanks for hiring Urban and stuff, but as they say, even a blind squirrel finds a nut from time to time.

Gordon Gee:

Twitter because…well…

That tweet was from the day prior to the actual game. I’m not sure where Gee actually was at the time.

Urban Meyer:

Nothing. Seriously. Just keep doing what you’re doing, Urbs. I can’t think of a single thing I would change at this point. Check with me next time at this year.

Thad Matta:

The propensity to under-achieve. I’m trying to be positive here as I am well aware that OSU was far from a basketball powerhouse prior to Matta’s arrival. What he has done has been amazing. Having said that, his teams have had an amazing ability to choke at the wrong time. Let’s cut that out.

Jim Foster:

Heck, let’s just keep with the theme for Ohio State basketball coaches and say the propensity to under-achieve. The Lady Bucks have not fared well outside of the B1G. This year, they are not faring well within it, either. Their early exits from the NCAA tourney have been problematic and something needs to be fixed.

Aaron Craft:

The sub 40% from the field. Keep on being dreamy on D and all, but let’s make sure the offensive woes go away.

Braxton Miller:

The feeling of having to do it all. Yes, it did seem that was necessary in the 2012 season. Going forward, Urban is giving you some playmakers. Use them. Please. But, by all means, feel free to take over when stuff goes horribly wrong.

Ryan Shazier:

The unfortunate belief that a true defensive player can’t win a Heisman. Now, I know several people feel that I’m probably going overboard by saying Shazier has a shot at breaking the barrier, but outside of South Carolina’s Jadeveon Clowney, I don’t know who else would be better suited to do so. Shazier is playing with a huge chip on his shoulder after being slighted by the B1G coaches in post-season awards. And, hey, did you see his hit on Montee Ball to force a fumble at the goal line and deny him the record? Shazier is a stud, I believe in the kid and I have a feeling he will turn plenty of heads next year and fill the John Simon leadership role nicely.

Rod Smith:

The fumbleitis. I’m a big fan of Smith and all of Buckeye Nation is aware of his potential. Having said that, the backfield is loaded and a little thing like putting the ball on the ground is the difference between the top and bottom of the depth chart. There was another RB who started off with an unfortunate history of fumbles that ended up doing pretty well. You may have heard of him. He wore #27 and ended his career with a Heisman. I’m not saying Smith is Eddie, but I’m not saying that he couldn’t be, either.

Ohio State’s SID department:

The party-pooper mentality. The SID was quick to point out that the Woody Hayes turtle story was an exaggerated joke. No kidding? I think that everyone knew that even if something like that story happened that it wasn’t exactly how Urban told it, if it happened at all, but it was hilarious. Let people have some fun and let Woody be a legend. Also, it prompted some fans (ironically, mostly from SEC schools) to paint Urban as a “liar” and that “recruits should take note” and junk like that. Just, you know, stop.

We all know that Woody Hayes was one tough S.O.B. Anyone who has lived in the Columbus area for any amount of time or who follows Buckeye football has heard their fair share of Woody stories. There was that time that he pushed his car across the Ohio border when it ran out of gas in Michigan, simply because he didn’t want to spend a dime in That State Up North, for example.

They all seem somewhat unbelievable, but they are told by so many that were close to Woody that you can’t help but think they are true. Woody was Bill Brasky before there was a Bill Brasky. He was The Most Interesting Man in the World before Dos Equis was even imported to the US. He was a living legend.

For this reason, there was only mild shock when Urban Meyer talked about that time in the locker room when Woody Hayes…oh…just read it below.

“So I guess Ohio State had lost the bowl game, so Earl Bruce brings in Woody Hayes. I had been there just a week and I’m thinking, ‘Holy, this is Coach Hayes.’ I’m sitting in the back. Coach Hayes was not healthy at the time, but stands up and starts laying into the coaching staff about toughness. That we have no toughness in the program. That’s why we lost the game. On and on and screaming, this old guy pounding the table. He says, ‘We have no toughness, and the reason is because you’re not tough. No one on this staff is tough enough, and that’s a problem.’

“He reaches down and grabs this box, slides the top and there was something in the box moving around. He reaches in and he pulls out this turtle. He reaches down, this turtle’s snapping and he says, ‘I’m going to show you toughness.’ He unzips his pants and takes out whatever he takes out. The turtle reaches up and snaps at him. You see the veins and the sweat (on Hayes). He screams at the coaches, ‘That’s toughness! That’s f’n toughness!’ He reaches down, pokes the turtle right in the eye and it falls off. He wipes the sweat off his forehead and says, ‘That’s the problem. We don’t have anybody in this room tough enough to do that right there.

“(One assistant) raises his hand and says, ‘Coach, I’d do this. Just promise not to poke me in the eye.’”

One would think there are other ways of proving your toughness, but Woody was never one for subtlety.

Urban Meyer doesn’t always say things that are popular with people not named Urban Meyer. In the past, he has made comments about the BCS system, the SEC and recruiting practices that ruffle many a feather of many a fan and opposing coach. The funny thing is, though, he’s usually right and people who hate what he says will often begrudgingly admit that he is right.

Count me in that camp. I really disliked Urban bashing others while stating Utah deserved a shot, but he was right. I really disliked his talk about Florida deserving a shot at OSU because the SEC was stronger than the B1G, but he was right. I could go on and on and on. He just has a way of making people admit things they don’t want to admit about themselves. He’s like the Dr. Drew Pinsky of College Football. He tells you things you don’t want to hear until you are a broken shell of a human and are forced to pick your sorry butt up and better yourself, and it all plays out in front of a National audience.

Well, he’s doing it again and the target of his comments are his fellow B1G coaches and their less than stellar recruiting efforts.

OK, not Brady Hoke. Brady Hoke did just fine. That’s the point. The rest of the B1G was followed up by a respectable class at Nebraska and “wow…that sucks” classes from every other B1G team.

Here are the B1G class rankings, per Scout.com. Just for fun, I’ll toss in future B1G schools Maryland and Rutgers:

1. Ohio State
2. Michigan
11. Nebraska
31. Rutgers
37. Wisconsin
42. Illinois
43. Michigan State
44. Penn State
45. Northwestern
49. Maryland
t50. Indiana
52. Iowa
57. Purdue
74. Minnesota

Now, sure, PSU can be excused for their performance due to their sanctions, but the rest of the conference? Well, when you are being out-recruited by teams like Kentucky (39) and Vanderbilt (19), it’s not really a good sign for the direction in which the conference is heading. Rutgers and Maryland were mocked as “not being what is needed to boost the conference” and they finished better than 9 and 4 current B1G teams, respectively. If anything, the B1G is dragging them down.

Don’t give me the “some coaches can do more with less” spiel, either. Yes, that is true to an extent. In fact, it is what the fans of Kirk Ferentz pointed to for their early 2000′s success. However, the disparity in B1G recruiting and SEC recruiting wasn’t quite as huge in those days as it is now. For example, the bottom feeders in the SEC were not passing up teams like Michigan State or Wisconsin in the rankings.

Also, the argument can be made that it’s easier to do “more with less” when you spend a season playing, well, less. It’s easy to gain bowl eligibility, or even win your division, when you only have to play two or three teams per year.

Hey, I don’t like saying it, either.

Honestly, the B1G was not as bad last year as some would like us to believe. That was pretty evident in some Bowl games that were much closer than expected when considering two of the top teams were ineligible and the conference was fighting up a weight, so to speak. It matters none, however, as perception is reality and the perception is the B1G sucks.

I call this the BTN Effect. As soon as the BTN basically took B1G football away from ESPN, ESPN cared little for the B1G. They went all in on the SEC. Now, yes, SEC teams were beating up on B1G powerhouse OSU, but the other teams weren’t doing that badly against comparable competition. The SEC was top heavy and, in my opinion, that is still more of the case than what you hear from the South. It is all SEC, all the time and it is hard to recruit against perspective. If you are a 17 year old kid who wants the glory of D-1 football, would you rather be at an SEC school, even a bad one, where The Worldwide Leader is constantly kissing your tail or at a B1G school where you are universally mocked by pundits if you are not wearing Scarlet and Gray or Maize and Blue?

Urban isn’t doing this just for the good of the conference, of course. He’s doing this for the good of The Buckeyes. Rankings are still subjective and beating top-tier competition in prime-time looks a lot better than whipping a lackluster Minnesota Gopher team at noon.

It will be interesting to see how this plays out. It could go well, or it could further ostracize Urban. He’s clearly not on the Christmas card list of many of his B1G brethren. It’s a conversation that someone needed to have, though, if the B1G wants to be a player again. The B1G needs to overcome the perception. It’s not easy, but it’s possible. Urban is just the guy to jump start the conversation as he won’t sugar coat anything.

The first topic of discussion will likely be how stupid the “Gentleman’s Agreement” junk is. It’s business, whether society wants to admit it or not. The SEC gets that and the B1G needs to get it, too.

Happy signing day, Buckeye Nation! With a few huge grabs today, Ohio State has catapulted to the number one spot on Scout and number two on Rivals, 24/7 and ESPN. The major spike in the ratings can be attributed to the commitments of four-star WR James Clark and five-star DB Vonn Bell. An additional boost was given on Monday when former Oregon commit Dontre Wilson flipped to The Buckeyes. Wilson is an All-Purpose back who is expected to fill the needs in the slot in the Urban Meyer offense.

The major drama today will be centered around four-star RB Ezekiel Elliott. Elliott committed to OSU back in April, but took a last second trip to Mizzou, his parents’ Alma Mater and home state school, and has gone virtually silent. He is announcing his intentions this afternoon at 4PM Central time. Some in the know say the signs are favorable for him to stick around, but losing him would be a tough blow.

The main focus of this class was clear…speed. Meyer has said that he will need playmakers and speedsters to take The Buckeyes to the next level and he has certainly landed his fair share of them. This is arguably the best class in Ohio State history when considering the needs on both sides of the ball and the holes that needed to be plugged.

We’ll update the list of those who have signed their LOI as they come in. This list also includes those who have already enrolled at OSU from the class of 2013. Welcome to Columbus, new Buckeyes!

Eli Appple – CB 6’0″ 184 Vorhees, N.J. Eastern High (Enrolled in January)

J.T. Barrett – QB 6’1″ 225 Wichita Falls, TX Rider High (Enrolled in January)

Cam Burrows – CB 5’11″ 200 Trotwood, OH Trotwood-Madison High (Enrolled in January)

Tyquan Lewis – DE 6’3″ 223 Tarboro, NC Tarboro High (Enrolled in January)

Tracy Sprinkle – DE 6’2″ 241 Elyria, OH Elyria High (Enrolled in January)

Joey Bosa – DE 6’5″ 270 FT Lauderdale, FL ST Thomas Aquinas

Gareon Conley – ATH 6’2″ 170 Massillon, OH Washington High

Evan Lisle – OL 6’6″ 290 Centerville, OH Centerville High

Darron Lee – ATH 6’2″ 205 New Albany, OH New Albany High

Billy Price – DL 6’4″ 305 Austintown, OH Fitch High

Jalin Marshall – WR 6’0″ 190 Middletown, OH Middletown High

Tim Gardner – OL 6’5″ 320 Indianapolis, IN Lawrence Central High

Jayme Thompson – DB 6’2″ 185 Toledo, OH Central Catholic High

Michael Hill – DL 6’2″ 305 Pendleton, SC Pendleton High

Mike Mitchell – LB 6’4″ 225 Plano, TX Prestonwood Christian High

Donovan Munger – DL 6’4″ 290 Shaker Heights, OH Shaker Heights High

Dontre Wilson – RB 5’10″ 174 DeSoto, TX DeSoto High

Trey Johnson – LB 6’2″ 220 Lawrenceville, GA Central Gwinnett High

Christopher Worley – S 6’3″ 195 Cleveland, OH Glenville High

Corey Smith – WR 6’1″ 190 Akron, OH Eastern Mississippi C.C.

James Clark – WR 5’11″ 170 New Smyrna Beach, FL New Smyrna Beach High

Marcus Baugh – TE 6’4″ 245 Riverside, CA John W. North High

Vonn Bell – DB 6’1″ 190 Rossville, GA Ridgeland High

Ezekiel Elliott – RB 6’0″ 198 St. Louis, MO John Burroughs School

It took six years, but Cris Carter has been elected to the 2013 NFL Hall of Fame class. Carter’s Buckeye career was notoriously cut short after he signed with agent Norby Walters prior to his Senior year. Carter’s absence was instantly felt as Ohio State went 6-4-1 and Coach Earle Bruce was fired. In spite of missing his final season, he left with the all-time Ohio State record for receptions.

Carter was named to the Ohio State Football All-Century Team in 2000 and was inducted into the Varsity O Hall of Fame in 2003. He was an instant contributor as a Freshman where he set a Rose Bowl receiving record. He had originally signed on to play both football and basketball for The Buckeyes. He clearly made the right choice in choosing to concentrate on football.

As a pro, Carter was picked up in the fourth round of the supplemental draft by the Philadelphia Eagles. Carter had a falling out with coach Buddy Ryan and was cut. Carter later admitted that his falling out had to do with Carter’s drug and alcohol abuse. He credits Ryan as the reason he got his life together.

Carter was picked up by the Minnesota Vikings, where he would spend the majority of his career. He started off slowly his first year and then became a true force for the Vikings. He ended his Viking career with eight Pro Bowls, a retired jersey (#80), a spot in the Vikings Ring Of Honor and as a member of the Vikings 40th Anniversary Team. He left the Vikings as the all-time leader in receptions, receiving yards, and touchdowns.

Carter spent one final year in the league with the Miami Dolphins, but retired after a non-productive effort. He left as the number two receiver in terms of career receptions and touchdowns by a wide receiver in NFL history, falling behind only Jerry Rice. He joins Bill Parcells, Larry Allen, Jonathan Ogden, Warren Sapp, Curley Culp and Dave Robinson in the Hall of Fame Class of 2013.

Carter is the 9th Buckeye player or coach to be enshrined in Canton. The Buckeyes are tied for third behind Notre Dame and USC for number of former coaches and players in Canton. The class of 2013 will be formally enshrined on August 3rd, 2013. Congratulations to #2!

By now, if you are a Buckeye fan who follows any Buckeye media, fans or general recruiting services, you are aware of the fact that RB commit Ezekiel Elliott took a trip to Columbia, MO to visit Mizzou. They, of course rolled out the red carpet and people lost their minds. Of course, none of this should be a huge surprise as Elliott is from Missouri and his parents are Mizzou alums who were also Mizzou student athletes.

You are also aware of the fact that LB commit Trey Johnson took a trip to Tennessee. That one was a bit more surprising, and was also kept somewhat of a secret, but is likely not as big of a deal as some are making it out to be. His dad says he is still 100% committed. So, it’s likely it was just a trip and nothing more. We’ll see.

These visits resulted in multiple meltdowns on Twitter for very different reasons. One segment of fans began to beg the recruits to stay committed, or leave in the case of Mizzou and Vol fans, and another segment of fans begged people to leave them alone.

To start off, I’m just going to put this right here.

That’s a screen shot directly from the Ohio State Compliance Department’s Twitter account (@OSUCompliance). It’s not hearsay, it’s not opinion, it’s the actual rule. So, basically, if you Tweet a recruit with “Please be a Buckeye” you are recruiting them. That is against the rules. Frankly, if some random person on Twitter causes OSU to have any kind of sanction put against them, I would lose my mind. Never mind it is hard to enforce or whatever, it is a rule. Follow the rule. Please.

Now, onto the portion where I infect you with my personal opinion. If your life is completely consumed with where a 17-18 year old HS Senior is going to play football you need to take a long, hard look at your priorities. Yes, we know, you love your school and you want your team to do well. Who doesn’t? Sometimes, you want to share your love with anyone who will listen. I get it. I truly do get it. It’s hard to understand why in the World someone wouldn’t want to share in your feelings. You know how awesome the campus is, how much fun the city is and how amazing the stadium is. But if a coach is doing their job, so do they. There is nothing you can say to a recruit that will make them say “you know what, coach never said that, I’m sold.” If you really want to play that game, buy NCAA Football 2013 and play the Dynasty mode and recruit fake players.

Want to follow a recruit on Twitter? Fine. Recruiting services and those who write about a school certainly will as it helps people do their jobs easier by getting info directly from the recruit. There is nothing wrong with keeping an eye on where that 5-star recruit is going to go and hoping that is to your school of choice. I mean, really, you’re just saving a few bucks by eliminating the need to subscribe to a recruiting service for that information. Why pay $9.99 a month when Tweets are free?

When the gap is bridged from simple interest in the process to outright harassing a kid is when stuff gets weird. Think about it for a minute…if this was your kid, how would you feel if random people on the internet bombard them with their preference in school and chastised them if they go elsewhere? This isn’t an easy process.

I understand why Buckeye Nation went especially ballistic over the news about Elliott. OSU lost out on lifelong Buckeye fan Derrick Green because of their decision to “go in a different direction” this past summer. That “different direction” has a lot to do with Elliott. Green was a die hard. He wears #27 in honor of Eddie George. OSU spurned him and he did the worst possible thing…he went to That Team Up North. It was a punch in the gut. If Elliott spurns OSU for Mizzou, then it makes it hard for Buckeye fans to swallow.

But, you know what Buckeye Nation, you wanted this. You wanted to be in the thick of things for the best of the best and the Buckeyes most definitely are. The thing is, the best of the best play the game. They weigh all options, they take trips to warmer places when it’s cold and do it under the financial benefits of an official visit. They sometimes want to take in a top-notch game for free and, of course, they have parents with strong opinions on where they should go and want them to check out everything. If I was a 5-star recruit, I can assure you that I would be on a plane to Miami when the temps hit single digits. Why not? Play that game and play it well, I say.

Might I recommend that the next time you think about putting a recruit on blast for a visit or a de-commit that you take a deep breath and back away from the keyboard. Trust Meyer and his staff to seal the deal. That’s why they make the big bucks.

Besides, life is a lot better when it isn’t dictated by the whims of a teenager.

Remember that time that the only news around The Ohio State University football program was bad news? Those days are in the rear-view mirror. This off-season has included some rather outstanding news and is continuing to help Buckeye Nation purge the evil demons of Tatgate and all associated events. So, since ESPN won’t share anything positive about the Buckeyes, I’m going to do that now.

Jordan Hall is coming back:

Everyone knew this was a strong possibility. Hall had his appeal for a medical redshirt approved and will return for the 2013 season. Meyer was excited about Hall last year and then his season was cut short due to injuries. Meyer looked for Hall to fill the so-called Percy Harvin role in his offense.

His return ensures The OSU backfield will be absolutely stacked. Carlos Hyde filled in rather nicely for Hall last season and Bri’onte Dunn and Rod Smith will also compliment the duo. 2013 recruit Ezekiel Elliott is no slouch and provides even more depth. Oh, yeah, and Columbus native Devin Hill, who was a Purdue Boilermaker last season, will be walking on and likely fill the Fullback void left by the departure of Zach Boren.

Life is good in The Buckeye backfield.

Recruiting going well…very well:

Urban Meyer can recruit. He can do so without oversigning, even. So, while schools like Texas A&M have to pick up 34 recruits, OSU is doing just fine with their current 22.

Ohio State’s class of 2013 is ranked 3rd by Rivals, 3rd by Scout, 2nd by 24/7 Sports and 4th by ESPN. They are doing a solid job of shoring up some weaknesses left by departing players on D. They are also, dare I say, recruiting SEC type players. By this I mean there is a strong concentration on speed, especially on the lines. This has been the advantage for the SEC for some time, so it’s refreshing to see Urban recruit to meet that need.

Urban is also doing a fine job of keeping the borders locked down while recruiting top-notch players outside of the state. It’s good to see the best of the state staying home, for the most part. Also, 2014 has gotten off to a fine start, so there is no reason to believe the train is slowing down any time soon.

The coaching staff remains in tact:

I should tab this with a “thus far” as there is still some time left. However, in a year where the coaching carousel was swinging about wildly and knowing some of the current staff would definitely have a shot at a head coaching job, the fact that the staff is still together is amazing.

Everett Withers, Luke Fickell, Tom Herman and Kerry Coombs are all coaches that could very well find a spot with another school as the head guy. In Fickell’s case, a MAC HC job is not out of the realm of possibility. Of course, he’d take what would likely amount to a substantial pay cut. Withers will no doubt get another chance someday, Coombs was rumored at having an outside shot as Cincy’s next guy and Herman has been tabbed by a few outlets as one to watch in terms of a move to the next level.

It’s possible this staff feels they have some unfinished business. Regardless, it’s nice to have some stability after a couple of years of turmoil.

That post-season ban is gone:

It sucked to watch Notre Dame and Alabama in the BCS National Championship game. Ironically, the team that could have been left out if OSU had been eligible won (two undefeated teams would get the nod…right…uh…right?). It sucked even more thinking that OSU could have beaten that Notre Dame team. It did nothing but sour me on certain individuals who ran away instead of taking their punishment like a man even more.

It matters not. The slate has been wiped clean and next year they have a shot at the post-season. OSU has a great shot at being in Pasadena next year. As for which game they will be playing in, well, that’s still up in the air.

The team is already doing work towards next year. Hopefully, this off-season flies by so we can get back to football.

Ohio State has taken a lot of grief over the years for being too easy on their student athletes where compliance is concerned. I’m sure you’ve heard it from anti-OSU friends, family and media. You know, stuff like O$U and other lame jokes that people think are absolutely hilarious and original while ignoring the issues at their own school (I’m looking at you, TTUN, and your Fab Five).

Now, thanks to this, people think they may have gone too far.

Now this football school has more full-time employees on its compliance staff (14) than on Urban Meyer’s coaching staff (nine). They walk the players’ parking lot, jotting down license-plate numbers. They watch the crowd before and after games, looking for agents or runners.

And then there’s the checking accounts.

Basically, what Ohio State is trying to do is get a snapshot of their athletes’ accounts to see what they are spending their money on and track any unusually large deposits. One of the pros being touted by the compliance department is that this will help those who are not used to having money, like a Pell Grant or student loan, to learn how to manage their spending. It’s something that a lot of college students struggle with and it can teach some valuable lessons.

But, let’s be honest, that’s not the main reason for this. You know it, I know it, everyone who follows college sports knows it. They are doing this to nip any potential violations in the bud before it blows up like Tatgate. They are running a tight ship to make sure that Buckeye Nation never again sees a bowl ban or watches the removal of Final Four banners. They are protecting their most valuable asset. Who wouldn’t?

Is it too far? I can see both sides of the coin. It is a bit Big Brother-ish. One of the great things about college is the new found freedom that comes along with being away from home for the first time and this is essentially like assigning them a nanny. That’s not something an 18-22 year old would particularly enjoy. They might make a purchase they don’t necessarily want the world to know about. We’ve all been there.

On the other hand, the school is giving you a lot of money to pay for your education. Is it so wrong for them to protect that investment? Even non-athletic scholarships come with a bit of a catch. If it’s academic and your grades slip, you lose it. If you break the rules, you lose it. Why can’t this also be a condition of your scholarship?

The hilarity that has ensued in the wake of this revelation has been amusing. People are now stating that Ohio State is the picture of NCAA totalitarianism. Of course, just a few days ago people were stating they were rogue rule breakers who will sell their souls if they have to. So, which is it? It can’t be both. Of course, to many, Ohio State is the picture of evil no matter what they do.

Should OSU even have to do this? I could argue that the NCAA is the one who is insistent on their members following their rules and they should be the ones footing the bill for these programs. It is a bit strange that this governing body insists on schools essentially policing themselves. I mean, if no one ever says anything they really can’t do much. Never mind some of the bizarre rules they put in place, this is possibly the strangest thing about the NCAA. They want schools to follow their rules, and they want to punish those that do not, but they really don’t want to do any of the legwork behind it.

In the end, if nothing else, Ohio State is trying. That’s more than can be said about some other institutions. Is it too far? Maybe. But would you rather they do nothing at all?