July 17, 2012 July 17, 2012 Paying It Forward Paying It Forward Paying It Forward

Transcription

1 July 17, 2012 Paying It Forward Former Buckeye OL Gives Back In His Hometown

2 2 BSB Quickly July 17, 2012 Cover Quickly July 17, 2012 Publisher... Frank Moskowitz Asst. Publisher... Becky Roberts Managing Editor...Mark Rea Staff Writers Marcus Hartman Jeff Svoboda Ari Wasserman Designer/Staff Writer Matthew Hager Photographers Sonny Brockway Kevin Dye Josh Winslow Editorial Office Columbus Sports Publications 1350 W. Fifth Ave., Suite 30 P.O. Box Columbus, Ohio (614) (800) On The Cover: Former Ohio State offensive lineman Jim Cordle, sporting his recently earned Super Bowl ring, hosted a football camp and a charity bowling event July (Photo courtesy of Jeff Svoboda) Check Out Our Premium Website The next print edition of Buckeye Sports Bulletin (August cover date) will be mailed Aug. 23. Lancaster Events Raise Thousands For Charity By Jeff Svoboda When Super Bowl champion and former Ohio State football line standout Jim Cordle and his charitable foundation drew up plans for a bowling event and youth football camp this summer in his hometown of Lancaster, the events were placed two weeks apart on the calendar. Of course, you know what they say about the best laid plans The bowling event, we thought we were safe because it s not a golf outing and we don t have to worry about the weather, Cordle said. Then the power gets knocked out and we get delayed. The Bowling with Buckeyes event, scheduled for June 30, had to be pushed back two weeks after the windstorm that toppled trees and cut power to a large swath of central Ohio left Lancaster s Tiki Lanes without electricity. That meant it moved to one day after the inaugural Brian Sampson Memorial Youth Football Camp, which the Cordle Cares Foundation was already slated to host July 13 at Lancaster High School. By the time the whirlwind weekend was over, Cordle was exhausted, but the two events which featured an array of former and current Ohio State players raised around $30,000 for a variety of charities. I think it worked out, the New York Giants offensive lineman told BSB. It was cool. None of us slept this weekend. It was worth it to put it all into one weekend like this, but whenever I go to bed tonight, I don t want to wake up until Monday morning. That s because his weekend started bright and early the morning of Friday, July 13 with preparations for the football camp, which started at 9 a.m. The noncontact camp featured 138 kids from third through six grades being put through offensive and defensive drills in the morning and a variety of competitions in the afternoon. They played football, had fun and Jim Cordle they heard from some great speakers, said Cordle, who admitted the Super Bowl ring on his finger had drawn the attention of the children all day long. The kids were treated to presentations from the Fairfield County Sheriff and the U.S. Navy and talks from a variety of local football stars including Cordle, current OSU linebacker Luke Roberts, Ohio University player Nathan Carpenter and New England Patriots linebacker Bobby Carpenter, who also played at Ohio State. Bobby Carpenter s talk completed the camp, and the 2002 national champion discussed the hard work necessary for kids to excel. No matter what you want to do in athletics or academics, if you set your goals and you work hard to achieve them and do something to achieve that every day, you re going to be ready to go, he told the campers. Among the volunteers at the camp were members of Cordle s family, the Lancaster High School coaching staff, a handful of players on the current Golden Gales squad and former Ohio State walkon lineman and Cordle Cares trustee Scott Sika. It s great, Bobby Carpenter said afterward. Jimmy is a good friend and a former teammate, and anytime you can help him out and a great cause, it s great to be back. Sampson was an assistant coach at Lancaster before passing away of cancer in October His widow, Amy, was at the camp and his son, Caleb, was a participant. As a member of the Giants, Cordle was one of the last people to visit with Sampson before his death, as the coach had been undergoing treatment at New York University. It was an emotional time for us and this program, Cordle said. When we started the foundation in 2011 and wanted to expand, the first thing that came to mind was a football camp to memorialize

3 Cover July 17, 2012 BSB Quickly 3 him. He loved coaching football. That was his passion, and this is a great way to honor him. The camp was free to participants thanks to a $3,000 grant from the NFL Youth Football Fund. Event sponsors each donated at least $100 to the cause, resulting in $3,000 the foundation will be able to donate to the Richard J. Solove Research Institute at Ohio State s Comprehensive Cancer Center. One day later, the Bowling with Buckeyes event packed almost 400 people into the Tiki Lanes, and it would be hard to find anyone who didn t enjoy themselves. That included sponsors who paid $250 and above to take part in the bowling, those who simply paid $5 to get in the door or the current and former players who rolled balls and signed autographs for almost three hours. CAMP PHOTO BY JEFF SVOBODA; BOWLING PHOTO COURTESY OF MARTHA CAMPBELL/ CORDLE CARES FOUNDATION PITCHING IN Former Ohio State football players Bobby Carpenter (above) and Anthony Gonzalez (left) were among the Buckeyes who took part in the inaugural Brian Sampson Memorial Youth Football Camp and the Bowling with Buckeyes event July in Lancaster, Ohio. Bowling tournaments are definitely the way to go as opposed to golf outings, I ll say that, said former OSU wideout Anthony Gonzalez. It s better because you get to meet more people. Second of all, the atmosphere is much more relaxed. This is a great event. I m glad I got to come. Gonzalez highlighted a list of former players that included Sika, Todd Boeckman, Connor Smith, Dexter Larimore, Evan Blankenship, Ben Person, Matt Finkes, Don Matheney, Chris Malone and Scott McMullen. The current team was represented well, too, as Roberts helped recruit a group that included senior Garrett Goebel, redshirt freshmen Conner Crowell and Tommy Brown and incoming freshmen Camren Williams, Blake Thomas, Armani Reeves, Tommy Schutt and Joey O Connor. I m in my environment where I can shine, said Crowell, who brought his own bowling ball and boasts an average around 180. It s fun to get to bowl with all the fans. Miss Ohio Elissa McCracken, who was crowned June 23, and famous OSU fan Buck-I-Guy were also in attendance. This is a blast, McCracken said. I can t believe all the support for this event. I wasn t expecting this many people, but this is really great. I m happy I can be a part of it. The event included a silent auction that featured plenty of signed Ohio State and New York Giants items, including a helmet signed by Giants quarterback Eli Manning that went for $1,000. All 42 lanes were full of fans and Special Olympics athletes, and estimates at the conclusion of the event had it raising more than $27,000. Of that, 80 percent will go to Special Olympics. My parents are both special ed teachers, and then John Bosser, who is the vice president of Cordle Cares, is on the Fairfield County Board of Developmental Disabilities, Cordle said. I was like, you know what, as an athlete, we re blessed physically and mentally and we can go compete at a high level and have fun doing it. With Special Olympics, the handicapped community can do the same thing. With that connection and being around my parents classrooms growing up, it was a match. The rest of the money will be held aside as the foundation institutes a college scholarship next year as it continues to grow. We ll give a scholarship to a high school student who demonstrates community service most importantly, and then obviously athletics, academics and extracurricular activities will play into it, Cordle said. We want to stress volunteerism and community service. The bowling event also began with a presentation at the center of the alley featuring Cordle, Finkes and former OSU letter winner Dick Ellwood, all of whom captured Rose Bowl championships in scarlet and gray. By the end, Cordle said his only regret was that Blankenship who is known for the singing voice he showed off at Ohio State s annual student-athlete talent show didn t get a chance to croon for the crowd, but the turnout and the money raised more than made up for that disappointment. This year we had a big turnout, Cordle said. It was packed. It was just chaos, which is good. We want to raise a lot of money, and our team put in hundreds of hours with full-time jobs and they didn t get a penny for it. It was all for the cause. I can t thank them enough.

4 4 BSB Quickly July 17, 2012 Insider INSIDER Meyer Tosses Linebacker Facing Abuse Charge Ohio State lost a veteran defensive player when senior linebacker Storm Klein was kicked off the football team July 7 following an alleged domestic violence incident. Klein pleaded not guilty that morning to two charges filed the previous day. According to Franklin County Municipal Court records, Klein was arrested at his apartment on Mobile Drive in Columbus. He was charged with domestic violence and assault, both misdemeanors. Klein was represented by a public defender after spending the night in jail. He was released on his own recognizance and ordered to not have contact with the alleged victim, as well as to not have further acts of violence, not consume alcohol and/or drugs nor possess a firearm. Ohio State head coach Urban Meyer did not wait long to act, issuing a statement within hours of the arraignment. The charges filed against Storm Klein violate the core values of the Ohio State football program, Meyer said. As a result, Storm has been removed from the team. It has been made very clear that this type of charge will result in dismissal. If there are any changes in the charges, we will re-evaluate his status. The coach has said previously drug use and violence against women are among actions that will not be tolerated in his program. Klein s next court date is scheduled for July 26, and a temporary protection order was granted against him. A three-year letterman, he started 10 games for the Buckeyes last season but FILE PHOTO GONE Senior linebacker Storm Klein (32) was dismissed from the Ohio State football team July 7. He pleaded not guilty to two misdemeanors the previous day stemming from an alleged domestic violence incident. was limited during spring practice by multiple injuries. Sophomore Curtis Grant, a five-star recruit in the class of 2011, emerged as Klein s replacement at middle linebacker and was listed ahead of Klein in Meyer s post-spring depth chart. Klein is the latest Buckeye to run into legal troubles during the offseason. Senior tight end Jake Stoneburner and junior offensive tackle Jack Mewhort were charged with misdemeanors after allegedly urinating on the side of a building and fleeing from police in Shawnee Hills, Ohio, the weekend of the Memorial golf tournament. Meyer suspended the offensive starters and removed their scholarships for the summer. Meyer also dismissed a pair of players defensive backs Dominic Clarke and DerJuan Gambrell in January. Clarke was charged with drunken driving and Gambrell was dismissed for an unspecified violation of team rules. Junior tailback Jaamal Berry and Ohio State parted ways in February as Berry dealt with an October assault charge. Even before Meyer was hired in November, linebacker was becoming a trouble spot at Ohio State over the past year. There are eight scholarship linebackers set to be on the 2012 roster, but senior Etienne Sabino is the only one who has been in the program for more than two years. Sabino is listed as the starter at strongside linebacker while sophomore Ryan Shazier is expected to start on the other side. Redshirt freshman Conner Crowell is now listed as the backup to Grant in the middle while true freshmen Luke Roberts and Josh Perry are backups to Shazier and Sabino, respectively. Crowell is also listed as a co-backup with Roberts while senior walk-on Stewart Smith joins Perry behind Sabino. Perry and Roberts enrolled early and took part in spring football. Four-star prospects David Perkins and Camren Williams joined them this summer and are expected to contend for playing time. Including Klein, Ohio State has lost six linebackers in the past year for a variety of reasons. Jonathan Newsome and Dorian Bell transferred in August 2011, and Jordan Whiting followed that route in March. Scott McVey and Chad Hagan were taken off the roster since the end of last season because of chronic medical conditions. Former Cager Returns To Compliance Office Ohio State added a familiar face to its compliance department when Jason Singleton was hired July 3. Singleton was a three-year starter for the men s basketball team during his career from , a time period that saw the Buckeyes rise from Big Ten bottom dweller to Final Four participant. Ohio State s athletics department is the best in the country, and it s a great honor to be returning and working in compliance at the Ohio State University, said Singleton, who becomes OSU s associate director of compliance for education, enforcement and monitoring. I look forward to sharing what I have learned at the NCAA and as a former student-athlete. Compliance department director Doug Archie said Singleton s new job, which began July 16, will have a focus on monitoring player activities. He will visit campus and community establishments to ensure compliance with NCAA rules and

5 Insider July 17, 2012 BSB Quickly 5 state laws while also serving as a liaison with law enforcement agencies. The former Buckeye basketball player returns to his alma mater after four years working for the NCAA, the last two as an assistant director of enforcement. Before joining the NCAA, Singleton was an assistant director of programs for ihoops, a group co-sponsored by the NCAA, NBA, Nike and adidas that was formed in 2009 to develop programs to improve youth basketball across the country. Singleton began his career at Ohio State in , one season after the Buckeyes went 6-22, setting a program record for most losses and worst winning percentage. They went in his first three seasons in scarlet and gray, finishing 10th, ninth and 11th in the Big Ten, before stunning the college basketball world by going 27-9 and advancing to the Final Four during his senior year when he served as a captain. Returning to The Ohio State University is like a dream come true for me, Singleton said. Ohio State has opened many doors and exposed me to many wonderful opportunities. I ve been away for more than 10 years, and it s time for me to come back and give back to the university. The 6-6 forward started 86 of 119 games at Ohio State, scoring 1,022 points and grabbing 416 rebounds. Singleton was third on the team with 8.9 points per game and led the squad with a 63.5 field-goal shooting percentage as a senior. He played overseas briefly after graduation then returned to school and earned a master s degree in educational administration from Central Michigan. Along with his experience with the NCAA, Singleton has worked as an anti-money laundering specialist with Comerica Bank in his native Detroit. He also spent three years with City Year Detroit as a program manager and two years as a teacher and basketball coach in the Detroit Public Schools. Jason is a great addition to the compliance team, Archie said. His unique background as a former Ohio State student-athlete and his time with the NCAA enforcement staff provide him with a unique understanding of the student-athlete experience. In addition, his investigation skills will be a valuable asset to the compliance staff as we enhance our monitoring and investigation efforts. Other duties at his new job will include implementing and evaluating life skills workshops, working with at-risk studentathletes, developing programming to educate and counsel student-athletes to avoid potential issues and assisting with community service initiatives. Allen Joins Thinclad, Harrier Staffs After one year away from coaching, Brice Allen was hired as associate head coach for the men s track and field and cross country squads at Ohio State on July 13. Head coach Ed Beathea tapped Allen, a Sugar Grove, Pa., native who most recently worked at Louisville, to mentor Buckeye distance runners on the track team while heading the cross country squad. Brice is a perfect fit for our program, Beathea said. His resume speaks for itself, both on the track and on the recruiting trail. He is going to be a terrific addition to our staff as a coach, teacher and recruiter. Allen competed in track and cross country while earning his bachelor s degree from Allegheny (Pa.) College. He graduated in 2001 and moved on to Northern Arizona, where he worked with the men s cross country teams and women s track and field while working toward a master s degree he received in He spent four years as assistant coach and recruiting coordinator for the men s and women s cross country teams at Louisville before serving as head coach of both programs from Hinkleman Rockets To Columbus The Ohio State women s swimming team received a new assistant coach July 12 when Liz Hinkleman s hiring was announced by head coach Bill Dorenkott. She comes to Columbus from Toledo, where she was a standout student-athlete from and a successful head coach for the past two seasons. Simply put, Liz Hinkleman is a winner, Dorenkott said. She is respected by her peers and widely considered one of the rising stars in our profession. The Ohio State University is fortunate to be able to call her a Buckeye. Hinkleman led the Rockets to the MAC championship last season after winning a trio of conference championships herself as a competitor in the 200-yard freestyle relay. It s an honor to work with such an accomplished athletic department, and BSB Quickly 2012 Schedule Jan. 6 Jan. 13 Jan. 17 Jan. 20 Jan. 27 Jan. 31 Feb. 3 Feb. 14 Feb. 21 March 6 March 20 April 3 April 17 April 20 May 1 May 8 May 15 May 22 June 19 July 17 July 31 Aug. 7 Aug. 14 Aug. 31 Sept. 7 Sept. 14 Sept. 21 Sept. 28 Oct. 5 Oct. 12 Oct. 19 Oct. 26 Nov. 2 Nov. 16 Nov. 23 Dec. 4 I am excited about joining the Buckeye family, Hinkleman said. I look forward to working with Bill and the team to help them continue to improve and compete for a Big Ten championship, NCAA and international honors. In 2012, Hinkleman coached two student-athletes to the NCAA championships, including Laura Lindsay, a two-time All- American and first team All-MAC selection who was Toledo s nominee this year for the NCAA Woman of the Year award. Overall, five UT swimmers earned firstteam All-MAC accolades, while two others were named second-team All-MAC. Her pupils also excelled in the classroom, earning 11 academic all-conference selections while posting a cumulative GPA of that was the highest in program history last fall. Hinkleman is a native of Munster, Ind., and graduated from Toledo in 2008 with a bachelor s degree in pharmacy administration. Prior to being named head coach at Toledo, Hinkleman was the assistant swim coach at Lewis University near Chicago in 2008 and served as the coach for a club team at Lewis, the Academy Bullets, before returning to Toledo in January 2009.

6 6 BSB Quickly July 17, 2012 Football Recruiting Ohio State In Battle For DE/LB s Services The Ohio State football staff saw enough out of Tarboro, N.C., defensive end/outside linebacker Tyquan Lewis in just a few hours of camp work June 10 to issue him a scholarship offer. Now with the 6-4, 220-pound prospect nearing a decision he d like to make his commitment before the end of September Ohio State hopes to land Lewis services. The Buckeyes, however, will have to beat out LSU, North Carolina, Ole Miss and Vanderbilt to land the three-star prospect. RECRUITING OUTLOOK Ari Wasserman None of them really stand out, Lewis told Scout.com national recruiting analyst Chad Simmons. I like all five of those schools and I am probably going to visit them. I am going to narrow it down to less schools, and I d like to have my decision (made soon). Shortly after his performance in Ohio State s camp Lewis told BSB that the trip to Columbus was one of the top visits he s made thus far in his recruitment. Now Lewis is planning a return visit with his mother to see how she feels on campus. With visits to LSU and Ole Miss still on Lewis agenda, Ohio State is far from in the clear. However, defensive line coach Mike Vrabel and defensive coordinator Luke Fickell left a lasting impression on Lewis the last time he was in Ohio. I like everything about Ohio State, Lewis said. Coach Vrabel, in one day, made me a more pure athlete and he made me a lot faster by tightening up my stance. He is just a great coach. I also like Coach Fickell and I like just being there. I can t complain about anything. Lewis has made it clear that distance will not be a factor in his decision, and LSU has also made a strong push in his recruitment. They win and I like where they re located, Lewis said of LSU. It is an SEC school, and with me playing in three state championships, that s all I know is Tyquan Lewis winning and going to school. I really like what they have because they offer me the opportunity to keep winning. Lewis knows he still has a lot to sort through. However, the speed rusher does have an idea of what means the most to him when selecting his future school. The feeling if my mom is comfortable with it and if my three little brothers (feel comfortable), he said. They re young, but they still play a big role in my life and they look up to me. We re going to get it done. Bell Cuts List To Seven, Ohio State Advances Ohio State made the cut when Rossville (Ga.) Ridgeland safety Vonn Bell trimmed his list of schools to seven, an undoubtedly big step in the right direction in the Buckeyes quest to land one of the class of 2013 s top prospects. Bell, the No. 3 safety and No. 31 player overall in the class according to Scout, will now consider Alabama, Clemson, Georgia, Tennessee, Texas, Vanderbilt and the Buckeyes. We really went through the evaluation process and we took visits, we met a lot of coaches, I met some players, and we saw a lot of different things going through this, the five-star safety said. It was tough to get down to seven schools, but those seven are great schools. Nick Saban, Mark Richt, Urban Meyer, Mack Brown and others are all great coaches who develop their guys, they make their players into men, and it will be even tougher to cut some other schools out. Given that Bell (6-1, 190) had more than 30 scholarship offers to his name, cutting his list wasn t an easy task. Moving forward, things will remain tough, but Bell plans on taking another big step sometime in the next six weeks. I think we will cut it down to three schools later in August or in September, he said. We are going to work on having that done pretty soon, so the process will get a little bit easier. I will be able to focus on three schools instead of seven. I think the process will likely ride out to December for me. I will take some official visits then commit when I am ready, but I think it will go into December or possibly January. It is going to be very hard to make these decisions, but we are looking at everything, and I know the decision will be a good one. Bell doesn t have any more visits planned at the moment. Instead, he ll continue to work out with his team while mulling over the next step in his recruitment. Bell, however, does have an idea of what will ultimately be the difference in his decision. I want to be around good people, and that is something I will be looking hard at during the official visits, he said. I want to be around coaches and players I can bond with, see which schools I fit in best at, see who is on the road to win championships, and just who is on each roster. All of those things will help me cut the list to three and then make my decision. OSU Hopes To Remain In Hunt For Nation s Top CB Meyer hasn t been shy about pursuing the nation s top prospects regardless of location, and there hasn t been an exception in the recruitment of Vernon Hargreaves of Tampa (Fla.) Wharton. Hargreaves is a five-star cornerback prospect rated by Scout as the best player at his position in the 2013 class, and the 5-11, 181-pounder has racked up more than 50 scholarship offers as a result. Scout ranks him the No. 15 player overall in the class. The Buckeyes though figured by many to be a long shot are hoping to be in the hunt to land Hargreaves until the end. Ohio State is making all the necessary moves to do so, as Hargreaves began a visit to the Midwest on July 16 to see Ohio State, Notre Dame and Vanderbilt. Hargreaves has listed his top three schools as Florida, Miami (Fla.) and South Florida, but he admitted that s only the case because those are the only three schools he s been able to visit thus far. The visits coming up for the cornerback could go a long way in determining how he makes the first cut of his extensive scholarship offer list. I will probably go home and start thinking about my list, but I probably will not actually do it until after I take those visits, he said. I will get my list down to at least 10 schools before the season

7 Football Recruiting July 17, 2012 BSB Quickly 7 starts. I would like to then get down to five schools, and then take my official visits. Given the nonstop attention Hargreaves has been getting, it will certainly be a tough process to eliminate more than 40 schools from contention for his services. However, Hargreaves will know how to go about completing that task by the feelings he gets during visits. I will choose the school that I think I fit in the best at, said Hargreaves, who runs the 40-yard dash in 4.35 seconds. That is what is most important to me Lineman Picks Up Big Ten Offer Lancaster, Ohio, offensive lineman Kyle Trout was excited to pick up his initial Big Ten offer this summer when Tim Beckman s Illinois staff extended one. That was awesome, the 6-6, 280- pounder told BSB. I was actually on the way home from the Wisconsin camp when I just stopped in to say hi. We ended up staying there for five hours and they offered, and I was ecstatic. It was hard to keep my composure in front of all the coaches. Trout also has offers from Bowling Green, Toledo, Cincinnati and Ohio. He also visited camps at Wisconsin and Ohio State over the summer months. It was really great getting to go different places, and I spent of a lot of time with my dad, he said. He helps me all the time, just giving me tips. He spends hours and hours reading things about how to get recruited better. He helps me, so I give a lot of credit to my dad. I probably wouldn t be where I am right now if it wasn t for him. To be able to go meet all the different coaches and make friends, it s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. It s really cool. Trout comes from an Ohio State hotbed, as Lancaster is located just southeast of Columbus. Former Golden Gales Rex Kern, Bobby Carpenter, Jimmy Cordle and current OSU linebacker Luke Roberts have donned scarlet and gray. Trout did not pick up an Ohio State offer during his trip to a June 23 camp, but he hopes to stay on the local school s radar going forward. I ve called them a few times (since camp), he said. They invited me to come back and said they re going to come watch a lot of my games because it s really close, which is good, especially because they ll be coming to watch the OSU Verbal Commitments Players in the class of 2013 who have issued verbal commitments to play football at Ohio State. Player Pos. Ht. Wt. Stars High School J.T. Barrett QB Wichita Falls (Texas) Rider Marcus Baugh TE Riverside (Calif.) John W. North Joey Bosa DE Fort Lauderdale (Fla.) St. Thomas Aquinas Cameron Burrows CB Trotwood (Ohio) Madison Ezekiel Elliott RB St. Louis (Mo.) John Burroughs Michael Hill DT Pendleton, S.C. Darron Lee ATH New Albany, Ohio Evan Lisle OT Centerville, Ohio Jalin Marshall RB Middletown, Ohio Billy Price DT Austintown (Ohio) Fitch Tracy Sprinkle DE Elyria, Ohio Jayme Thompson S Toledo Central Catholic Johnny Townsend P Orlando (Fla.) Boone Eli Woodard CB 6-0½ 180 Voorhees (N.J.) Eastern team and not just me. Hopefully it ll get some of my teammates exposed so they can go somewhere in college, too. I ve always been a fan of Ohio State, but my dad has always taught me when I get offers and when I start picking schools not to let my fan side get in the way of what s best for me. Ohio TE Hoping For Speedy Recovery, Enjoying Recruiting One of the top emerging tight end prospects in the country is playing his high school football in Western Ohio in Ethan Wolf. The Minster native, however, had a hard time proving his skills to the Buckeyes staff when attending a summer camp because he suffered an injury early in the day. I was at Ohio State s camp and they brought me into the Woody Hayes facility to do some one-on-one drills, the 2014 prospect said. It was only my second route of the day and I went up to catch a jump ball and the cornerback came down unintentionally and hit me in the legs. I tried to catch myself coming down and I came down the wrong way and fractured my radius. Despite Wolf s early injury, Ohio State s staff offered some feedback for Wolf to continue to improve on. They said they are impressed but that I have some things to work on, Wolf said. They said to keep working during the offseason and definitely do what I can this season to help my team win and to start things back up next summer when they really start recruiting again. Because of the injury, Wolf made it to camps this summer only at Illinois, Notre Dame and Ohio State. The 6-6, 221- pounder said he had planned on visiting Wisconsin and Cincinnati but wasn t able to make it. Wolf, however, has picked up scholarship offers from Bowling Green, Illinois, Ohio and Toledo. With hopes of continuing to build a relationship with Ohio State s staff, he will return to Columbus for the Buckeyes Friday Night Lights recruiting event on July 27. I m excited to go back and show the coaches what I can do before the season starts up for good and recruiting slows down, he said. OSU Issues Offer To Top Safety In Texas If Tony Brown s offer list is indicative of what kind of prospect he is, the safety out of Beaumont (Texas) Ozen is one of the nation s best. With scholarship offers from programs such as Alabama, Auburn, LSU, Notre Dame, Oklahoma and Texas already to his name, it s hard to remember that he s a 2014 prospect. Ohio State recently became another top program to extend Brown an offer. They are a great team with great tradition, and I am very honored to be offered by them, Brown said of the Buckeyes. I have the utmost respect for Urban Meyer as a head coach. The 6-1, 185-pound prospect was an instant contributor for his high school, posting 95 tackles, an interception and 14 pass breakups as a freshman. Last year in his sophomore season, Brown had 96 tackles, three interceptions, 16 pass breakups and a forced fumble. Perhaps among the reasons so many offers have poured in for Brown are his measurables, as he has posted a 4.34-sec-

8 8 BSB Quickly July 17, 2012 Football Recruiting ond 40-yard dash time. He can also bench press 290 pounds and squat nearly 500 pounds and has a 35-inch vertical jump. Rising Ohio Wide Receiver Lists His Early Favorites One of the top emerging 2014 wide receiver prospects in the nation is Thaddeus Snodgrass of Springfield, Ohio, and the 6-2, 175-pounder has already garnered some impressive offers from Ohio State, Michigan State, Notre Dame, Purdue and others. Of his early scholarship offers, Snodgrass said Ohio State, Michigan State and Notre Dame have taken the lead in his recruitment. Ohio State is an attractive option for Snodgrass because he anticipates Meyer s offense will put up prolific numbers for years to come. I have high interest in Ohio State because they are a spread offense, Snodgrass said. I talk with (assistant) coach Zach Smith all the time, and he s told me I can be a big contributor to their offense. I ve also talked with offensive coordinator Tom Herman, and he said they love players like me on their team. A conversation with Meyer left a lasting impression on Snodgrass. I was star-struck when I spoke with Coach Meyer, said Snodgrass, who has visited all three schools that stand out. I never thought I would talk with Urban Meyer, but he s like a very cool and laidback guy who tells you what you need to do and what you re going to do. He s a very straightforward guy. But Ohio State still has work to do if it wants to secure a commitment from Snodgrass, especially because Notre Dame and Michigan State stand out for very similar reasons. Notre Dame s offense also is intriguing to the wide receiver. I love it there and they run a spread offense, Snodgrass said of the Irish. I love the coaches and they have told me I would be given a chance to come right in up there and play as a freshman. That is important to me because I want to get on the field and contribute to the team. Similar opportunities could be available in East Lansing for Snodgrass, who has enjoyed his multiple visits to Michigan State. I ve been up to Michigan State a couple of times for their spring game and camp, said Snodgrass. I just love the atmosphere there as everyone is very positive and everyone cares about everyone up there. They are more of a power-i offense and I think I m looking more for a spread offense, but I really like them. Though Ohio State has made a jump to the front of Snodgrass list, the Buckeyes work will have to continue for the next year. Snodgrass doesn t plan on making a verbal commitment until the summer heading into his senior season. It s crazy, he said. Everybody wants you to go to their school. Right now I m just trying to relax and enjoy this and not get too big-headed about all of it. Spielman s Son Works Out At OSU Being the son of Buckeye legend Chris Spielman and playing at a high school in the shadow of Ohio State s campus, Noah Spielman understands that he ll have the attention of top college football programs. Spielman, a 2014 defensive end from Upper Arlington, Ohio, recently attended an Ohio State camp and came away fairly happy with his performance. I think I did all right, he said. It was an awesome experience. This was my first camp so some of the stuff was new to me, but I learned a lot. I enjoyed it a lot. It was fun. I knew the coaches were watching but I just used that as motivation to get better. Spielman felt good about the way he performed in his sophomore season and said even his father was pleasantly surprised about his progression on the field. It s no wonder Spielman is starting to hear from college programs. I just think I played really well but of course have things to work on, he said. My recruitment is picking up. I m starting to hear from some MAC and Big Ten schools. The 6-1, 230-pound prospect has yet to garner a scholarship offer but hopes considerable improvement in his junior season will lead to a quick advancement in his recruitment process. I m switching to defensive end so hopefully I ll get a lot more sacks than I did last year, said Spielman, who is moving over from defensive tackle. I m working on turning my hips. That s what the coaches are getting at me about. That and getting low and getting the technique right. Recruiting Notes Wyomissing, Pa., linebacker Alex Anzalone issued a commitment to Notre Dame on July 9. Anzalone, a former Ohio State commitment who pledged the weekend of the spring game, is a fourstar prospect ranked by Scout as the No. 4 outside linebacker in the 2013 class. The 6-3, 220-pounder decommitted from the Buckeyes in part because he posed for a picture with a registered sex offender near Ohio State s campus during an unofficial visit. He kept OSU in the mix before settling on Notre Dame as his college choice. The academics really pushed it over, Anzalone said of the Irish. I realize the connections that Notre Dame has and the combination of football. It is unmatched across the country. It doesn t get much better than that. Richmond (Va.) Hermitage fourstar running back Derrick Green cut his list down to 13 schools and Ohio State made the cut. However, the 5-11, 220- pound class of 2013 prospect picked up offer No. 34 from Georgia after trimming his list, in no particular order, to Ohio State, Tennessee, Michigan, Oregon, Ole Miss, Virginia Tech, Clemson, Auburn, Alabama, Miami (Fla.), Pitt, Oklahoma State and Oklahoma. Virginia Beach (Va.) Bayside class of 2013 running back Taquan Mizzell (5-10, 180) trimmed his list down to five schools and Ohio State made the cut. Virginia, Notre Dame, Clemson and West Virginia join the Buckeyes on the fourstar prospect s list. Indianapolis Warren Central middle linebacker Tim Kimbrough (6-1, 225) has been a prospect of interest for the Buckeyes, but the staff never issued the 13 prospect a scholarship offer. Though sources close to BSB had indicated that Kimbrough was really hoping for an Ohio State offer, the No. 6-rated middle linebacker issued a verbal commitment to Georgia on July 13. Four-star senior wide receiver Shelton Gibson of Cleveland Heights was scheduled to announce his college decision on July 20, but sources close to BSB indicate that there could be some academic issues holding up his decision. There could be academic worries, and Ohio State and others could be waiting on an improved test score or a raised GPA, BuckeyeSports.com recruiting analyst Bill Greene said. If things check out academically, it s easy to see Gibson in this class. But this might go on for a while, possibly through two nine-week grading periods. BSB staff writer Jeff Svoboda contributed to this report.

9 2002 Championship Anniversary Celebration Originally Published: July 2002

10 10 BSB Quickly July 17, 2012 Men s Basketball Craft Takes Advantage Of Offseason, Has Surgery For Ohio State point guard Aaron Craft, playing with pain is easier than not playing at all. However, Craft realized that the bone chip that s been floating in his left ankle since high school resulting in pain that head coach Thad Matta described as excruciating at times during last year s postseason needed to come out, so he had a procedure on June 18 to remove it. For someone who seems to be in perpetual motion like Craft, the time away from on-court drills hasn t been the easiest thing in the world, but the junior is doing everything he can to make sure he s ready when it really matters when the season begins in November. COURT REPORT Ari Wasserman I am just trying to be patient enough and do everything I can and not take it too fast, Craft said. It will be good once we get done with it, but I just don t want to rush back and be out longer than I need to be. The thought of being unable to fully participate with his teammates during summer workouts was too much to bear for the point guard at first, but he finally came around to getting the problem resolved. One reason he might have been disinclined to have the procedure was that the pain wasn t consistent. It didn t bother me a ton, Craft said of his ankle. I didn t really feel like (surgery) was extremely necessary, but as the spring went on it just felt weak and the doctors really pushed for it. It was the best thing to do and we had time to do it, so I decided to get it done. Though Craft averaged 10.4 points, 5.2 assists and 3.2 steals in five NCAA Tournament games while helping lead the Buckeyes to the Final Four, Matta mentioned before the Big Ten tournament that the point guard was dealing with an ankle injury that sometimes yielded extreme pain. Craft was initially restricted to a cast and crutches after the surgery, but he had the cast removed the first week in July. While in attendance for the 2012 Ohio FILE PHOTO FEELING BETTER Ohio State point guard Aaron Craft (4) had left ankle surgery June 18 to remove a bone chip. Homecoming Battle for Ohio charity basketball game July 7 at St. John Arena, he was walking around under his own power, and he began running in a pool during the second week of July. Craft has continued to work on his upper body this summer while remaining around team activities, but he has been unable to participate in scrimmaging or workouts involving his leg. The point guard hopes to be able to return in the coming weeks, but he isn t sure of an exact date for when he ll be fully cleared. There isn t a big timetable yet, Craft said. I am going to start jogging soon and see how it starts feeling. It doesn t hurt a ton it just feels uncomfortable. My muscle is smaller, so we re just trying to get everything back to how it was supposed to be. The basketball season doesn t commence for four months, and the Buckeyes won t even begin full training camp until mid-october, so Craft has plenty of time to be ready for the season. Craft, however, doesn t see it that way. A player who made a name for himself before his freshman season for his prowess during summer pickup games, Craft doesn t discount the time lost and was hoping he d get to build his game to a new level this summer.

11 Men s Basketball July 17, 2012 BSB Quickly 11 However, Craft hopes to continue helping the team grow from a leadership standpoint. Just being aggressive and trying to get everyone on the team on the same page, Craft responded when asked what he hoped to work on this summer. We have a lot of young guys and just to be that leader out there playing, but I can do the same thing on the sideline. Just seeing them play and having the perspective as a coach is just as helpful as being out there. There is some positive to it, and hopefully we ll get through it unscathed. Craft hasn t been happy with his physical restrictions, but he ultimately understood the surgery was necessary so he could return to playing basketball at a high level without pain. Despite the nuisance of missing summer workouts, Craft has tried to remain positive throughout the recovery process. It is frustrating, Craft said. It is the first time I have really ever had to deal (with injury). I just miss being out there with all the guys and all the teammates, but I am just trying to understand that when the season comes I ll be ready and hopefully I ll be better than where I was last year. Senior big man Evan Ravenel expects Craft will pick up right where he left off as soon as he s able to play. Having someone like Aaron, that puts any team in top-10 position, Ravenel said. He s a one-of-a-kind point guard. He hustles on defense and he s working a little bit more on his offensive game. I think he s the best point guard in the country. Williams Working On Adding Size, Strength Amir Williams saw what the impact of a dominant big man could be as he sat on the bench and watched Jared Sullinger lead Ohio State to a Final Four berth last season. He even got his own taste of contributing in a big-time setting as a freshman when he grabbed four rebounds and scored three crucial points in the Buckeyes win over Syracuse in the NCAA Tournament s Elite Eight. Heading into his sophomore season, Williams wants to be in the position Sullinger vacated when he departed for the NBA draft. In order to accomplish a big role on this year s team, Williams knows exactly what he needs to do: get bigger. I am just trying to get in shape and everything, Williams told BSB. I am working on my game, working on my skills and trying to get stronger and everything. I feel my body getting stronger. I put on a few extra pounds to be able to bang in the post and take on guys with bigger bodies down there. That will be big for me. Despite his 6-11 height, Williams showed up at Ohio State weighing roughly 225 pounds. He gained 15 pounds before his freshman season, but his lack of strength in the post was the biggest knock on his game. A shot blocker with the potential to have game-altering defensive skills, Williams said he s bulked up to 252 pounds and has continued to further develop offensive post skills heading into his sophomore season. Though Williams didn t step into even a backup role as a freshman despite thoughts before the season that he d be used quite often next to Sullinger, he sees a big opportunity to be a regular contributor alongside Ravenel. Given the fact the Buckeyes lost one of the best players in the nation in Sullinger, both Ravenel and Williams will now have the tall task of replacing the All-American and securing Ohio State s post. It is all about preparation, and I feel like if I properly prepare myself I will have a lot of productive minutes this year, Williams said. (Last year s Syracuse game) raised my confidence to another level and it just makes me want to get back to the NCAA Tournament. Williams averaged less than 10 minutes per game last season and didn t even play in seven of the Buckeyes 18 conference games, finishing with 1.7 points and 2.1 rebounds per game in 29 contests. Ravenel, a senior who transferred from Boston College two years ago, also was used in a rather limited role, averaging 3.4 points and 2.2 rebounds in 10.2 minutes per game last season. Another big man who could compete after having a limited role last season is sophomore Trey McDonald. Though roles have yet to be discussed with the coaching staff, Williams understands he could be in a position to start or have a major role coming off the bench. That opportunity excites him. I just want to be one of the premier centers on my team, Williams said. Ravenel is optimistic about where the Buckeyes stand in the post. Amir is progressing really well, Ravenel said. I am a real big fan of Amir Williams. Even Trey McDonald, who didn t get to play a lot. I think we re going to see all of our bigs contribute this year. Hoops Notes Team Columbus edged Team Cleveland, 95-91, in the inaugural Battle for Ohio celebrity basketball game when Columbus DeSales graduate Antonio Daniels made two free throws with 5.4 seconds remaining on the clock to seal the win. With roughly 2,000 fans in attendance despite incredibly hot temperatures in St. John Arena, former Ohio State star Ron Lewis scored a team-high 18 points to lead Columbus after playing the past six seasons professionally overseas. Buckeye All-American Evan Turner, now with the Philadelphia 76ers, had 17 points. Former Ohio State sharpshooter Jon Diebler scored 11 points for Columbus including going 3 of 5 behind the arc and Terence Dials added a double-double with 12 points and 10 rebounds. Diebler also won the three-point competition at halftime. Other former Buckeyes who suited up for Team Columbus were J.J. Sullinger, Brian Brown, George Reese and Scoonie Penn. Team Cleveland featured Buckeye alums David Lighty, Dallas Lauderdale, Tony Stockman and Damon Stringer. The team was led by current Cleveland Cavaliers power forward Tristan Thompson, who scored 27 points. Jared Sullinger put up solid numbers and showed potential while suiting up for Boston s summer league squad in early July after being chosen as a firstround pick by the Celtics. Playing in four contests and making two starts, Sullinger averaged 13.8 points and 8.3 rebounds in 28.3 minutes per game. Lighty, who played last year in Italy, is trying to earn a spot on the Phoenix Suns and scored six points in 16 minutes in the team s first summer contest. Lauderdale spent the last year in Poland but is trying to earn a roster spot with the Golden State Warriors, though he had only two points in the team s first two games. Diebler is on Portland s squad after playing last season in Greece and made 1 of 5 three-pointers in the team s first game vs. New Orleans on July 15, the same day that rumors indicated he could be on the way to the New York Knicks in a trade.

12 12 BSB Quickly July 17, 2012 Olympics Bell s Long, Sometimes Difficult Journey Leads To London By Jeff Svoboda Katie Bell remembers the first time she was told by a coach to hike the stairs and try a dive off the 10-meter platform board. It was a moment that at first frightened her but one that would go on to change her life. I just remember my coach telling me to go to 10 meters and do a dive off of it, the Columbus native said. I was like, You re crazy. That s really high. I just remember sitting up there like, Oh my gosh, he s really making me do this. But as soon as I did it, it was so fun. I always tell people it s like a roller coaster. You go up there, you get really nervous before, and then you do it and you re like, Oh, let s do it again. That kind of fearlessness and determination has served Bell well on her journey from young gymnast to Olympic diver who has qualified for the 2012 Summer Games in London, England. Keep An Eye On Katie Bell Former Ohio State diver Katie Bell may be only 4-11, but she could stand much taller on the medal stand if she can find success in the 10-meter platform event during the upcoming 2012 Summer Olympic Games in London, England. Bell will participate in the prelims of her event on Aug. 8, with the semifinal and final coming a day later. Check out page 14 for a calendar detailing when athletes with Ohio State ties will be going for the gold. In fact, who knows where she would be without it. While competing as a freshman at Ohio State in 2007, Bell was attempting an arm-stand triple at the Big Ten championships on her second dive of six in the competition, but things did not go as planned. I ended up getting lost, she said. I really didn t know where the water and ceiling were and where I was and landed flat on my stomach. I collapsed a lung, separated my chest cartilage and popped ribs out of place. From the moment Bell hit the water, the Olympics suddenly looked like a long-shot proposition. The road back from that mistake took almost two years and included her nearly giving up on her sport and her hometown school, the one she always planned to attend and was so ingrained in her life that she joked the school built a new aquatic center for her in the mid-2000s. Coming back from that accident, I didn t know if I would be diving at all, she said. I almost transferred schools and I almost quit completely. One of my diving teammates was a year younger than me, and the other day she said she remembers me coming in, doing one or two dives and getting out and crying or getting upset because it was so hard. But Bell didn t call it quits, even though her ribs still give her trouble and require constant adjustment. Eventually, she rededicated herself to the sport, and the success came quickly. She took second in the platform event in 2009 at the Big Ten meet then earned All-America honors with a fifth-place finish at the NCAA meet. During the summer of 2009, she went on to capture the U.S. national title in the event. Looking back, she sees how the injury in 2007 helped lead to her success. It made me a better person because of it, she said. I was not an open person and didn t have good communication with people. After that, I learned a lot about myself and about other people around me. Bell suffered another major injury in February 2010 when she tore the labrum in her shoulder competing in a USA Diving event held at Ohio State, but she recovered from that to again earn NCAA All-America honors in 2011 as a senior. Add it all up and it s clear the spritely 4-11 diver her height leaves her tied as the shortest member of Team USA s 500-plus member delegation possesses plenty of heart in her slender frame. It s just because I ve had so many people, my family is so big and they ve supported me so much through all of this, she said. Everybody has been behind me, no matter if it was my decision to stop or to keep going. My coach (OSU diving coach Vince Panzano) has been my rock through all of it. It s just like everybody has helped me through it. That family atmosphere is one thing that stands out about Bell. She s one of seven siblings two adopted and credits the family for being a deep support system. Bell also has a strong group of friends such as Abby Johnston, a Columbus-area native and lifelong friend who will also be competing as a diver in London, or Alison Wiswell, who bought a ticket to London a year ago, months before Bell actually qualified in June at the U.S. trials. At that event, Bell finished second to Brittany Viola the daughter of former major league pitcher Frank Viola with 1, points, good enough to advance as the top two finishers moved to London. With that, Bell was able to accomplish something she had hoped to from her earliest days. She started gymnastics at the age of 3 but got into diving during summers just because I told my dad I wanted to have another chance at the Olympics before switching to diving full time at the age of 13. The Olympic dream first took hold the way it likely did for countless American youngsters while watching the 1996 U.S. women s gymnastics squad that won Olympic gold capped off with Kerri Strug s famous vault on one leg. I just loved gymnastics when I was 5, watching Kerri Strug and Dominique Moceanu and their stories, Bell said. I had every book possible on them, and I just wanted to be like them. However, that didn t mean Bell who spent time in high school at The Graham School in Columbus diving with Laura Wilkinson, a Texas native

13 Olympics July 17, 2012 BSB Quickly 13 who won gold on platform at the 2000 Summer Oympics was overly nervous when she went to the Olympic qualifying trials, even with her dream in the balance. I thought about trials more as our nationals, she said. We have two nationals every year and in December we had nationals in Tennessee and I got second, and I knew going into this that I had been diving and training better than I was before that. So going in, I knew I m competing with the same girls. It s the same meet. I was like, the only difference is there s more banners up. There s things saying Going to London, but that s really the only difference. Despite that confidence, Bell said she was in shock when she qualified, an understandable reaction given all that was at stake. In addition, she expects to perform well in London. Though China s Chen Ruolin (who won gold in 2008), Canada s Emilie Haymans and Mexico s Paola Espinosa are the main contenders for the gold medal, and the U.S. hasn t captured a platform medal since Wilkinson did so 12 years ago, Bell said she expects to compete with the best. I think with all the best dives I ve done, I m competing right up there with everyone, she said. I know the list I did at the semifinals of the Olympic trials, if I do that same list, I ll definitely be a contender for a medal. To get to that point, Bell has prepared mentally for this tournament for nearly her entire life. She competed at the London Aquatics Centre, home of the Olympic diving meet, in February and visualized returning in the summer. Going further back, she would like any youngster pretend that her final dive each day was with Olympic glory in the balance. Every day my coach would call my name just like I was in a meet, she said. He would be like, You have to hit this one for 8s, so I d have the pressure on. Or sometimes he d say, If you hit this one, you can get out. I d be like, All right, I have to do it, just like the meet. And did those visualizations usually end with an Olympic medal around her neck? Of course, she said with a smile. Every time. JEFF SVOBODA CENTER OF ATTENTION Former Ohio State diver Katie Bell will go for the gold in the 10-meter platform event at the 2012 Summer Olympic Games in London, England.

14 Buckeyes In The London Olympics SUNDAY MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY Roger Espinoza (Honduras), Soccer Group D play vs. Morocco Opening Ceremony Samantha Cheverton (Canada), Swimming 4x100-meter freestyle relay George Markovic (Serbia), Swimming 400-meter freestyle Mona Shaito (Lebanon), Fencing Women s foil Roger Espinoza (Honduras), Soccer Group D play vs. Spain George Markovic (Serbia), Swimming 4x100-meter freestyle relay Claudia Wurzel (Italy), Rowing Women s lightweight double sculls heats Samantha Cheverton (Canada), Swimming 200-meter freestyle, prelims/semifinals Margot Shumway (USA), Rowing Women s double sculls heats Samantha Cheverton (Canada), Swimming 200-meter freestyle, final Zain Shaito (Lebanon), Fencing Men s foil Margot Shumway (USA), Rowing Women s double sculls repechage Claudia Wurzel (Italy), Rowing Women s lightweight double sculls repechage Louise Bond-Williams (Great Britain), Fencing Women s sabre Samantha Cheverton (Canada), Swimming 4x200-meter freestyle relay Roger Espinoza (Honduras), Soccer Group D play vs. Japan Margarita Tschomakova (Bulgaria), Fencing Women s sabre Claudia Wurzel (Italy), Rowing Women s lightweight double sculls semifinals Margot Shumway (USA), Rowing Women s double sculls fi nal Roger Espinoza (Honduras), Soccer Quarterfi nals Amanda Furrer (USA), Rifl e 50-meter smallbore three position Claudia Wurzel (Italy), Rowing Women s lightweight double sculls fi nal Roger Espinoza (Honduras), Soccer Semifinals Katie Bell (USA), Diving 10-meter platform, prelims Katie Bell (USA), Diving 10-meter platform, semifi nals/fi nal Roger Espinoza (Honduras), Soccer Bronze medal match Roger Espinoza (Honduras), Soccer Gold medal match Closing Ceremony JULY/AUGUST

15

16 16 BSB Quickly July 17, 2012 Big Ten Notes Freeh Report Slams Paterno, Penn State A report following an exhaustive look into the way Penn State and its football program handled Jerry Sandusky amid more than a decade of allegations about the former defensive coordinator s sexual abuse of children slammed the university when it was released the morning of July 12. Almost universal condemnation from media and observers came down on Penn State after the release of what has become known as the Freeh Report so named because it was produced by the firm headed by former FBI director Louis Freeh took school president Graham Spanier, vice president Gary Schultz, athletic director Tim Curley and head football coach Joe Paterno to task for their actions and, perhaps more importantly, their inactions. BIG TEN NOTES Jeff Svoboda In order to avoid the consequences of bad publicity, the most powerful leaders at the university Spanier, Schultz, Paterno and Curley repeatedly concealed critical facts relating to Sandusky s child abuse, the report said before accusing those administrators of callous and shocking disregard for child victims. The culture at Penn State was also lambasted, with the Freeh document reporting on the massive power football wielded at the university leading some to believe the program was not accountable to university policy. In one incident, a school janitor who reportedly discovered Sandusky performing sexual acts with a minor in a school shower did not report what he saw for fear of being fired. Among the most notable developments to come out of the release was the fact the report found documentation that Paterno knew about allegations against Sandusky in 1998 that were investigated by local authorities. Paterno s behavior through the years has been under scrutiny, as the winningest coach in major-college football history maintained he was unaware of the 98 report and then performed his legal obligations when told by an assistant coach of a 2001 locker room incident involving Sandusky. His legacy suffered a major blow with uncovered correspondence about the 98 report one that came a year before Sandusky retired and s from 2001 that suggested Paterno had talked Curley out of reporting Sandusky to authorities. Freeh minced no words at a press conference, agreeing that Paterno s November firing amid the breaking scandal was justified and that his actions were an integral part of the cover-up. The Paterno family released a statement after Freeh s report was posted online defending the late coach s actions. The idea that any sane, responsible adult would knowingly cover up for a child predator is impossible to accept, the family said. The far more realistic conclusion is that many people didn t fully understand what was happening and underestimated or misinterpreted events. Sandusky was a great deceiver. He fooled everyone. FightOnState.com, a member of the Scout network like BuckeyeSports.com, on July 11 released a copy of a letter Paterno wrote to defend his program before his death. The letter was forwarded to Penn State football alums that day. Among the highlights, Paterno wrote that the scandal was not an indictment of the athletics culture at the school and said, This is not a football scandal and should not be treated as one. It is not an academic scandal and does not in any way tarnish the hard-earned and well-deserved academic reputation of Penn State. That Penn State officials would suggest otherwise is a disservice to every one of the over 500,000 living alumni. Sandusky was found guilty of 45 counts of child sexual abuse in late June. Curley and Schultz face trial for perjury and failure to report the abuse, while Spanier was ousted as part of the scandal. Penn State s issues run even deeper, though, as the NCAA not to mention civil suits as well as inquires from the Department of Education will likely come calling. Bob Williams, NCAA vice president of communications, released a statement the day of the Freeh Report noting that Penn State must review the body s questions concerning compliance with institutional control and ethics policies. The Freeh report also found that Penn State had no active policy when it came to the Clery Act, a 1991 federal law which requires colleges and universities to disclose information about on- and off-campus crime. Schools can be suspended from receiving federal financial aid if found to be out of compliance with the statute. Pac-12 Schedule Deal Dead A scheduling agreement among numerous sports including football announced in late December between the Big Ten and the Pac-12 was suspended July 13. According to a statement released jointly by the two leagues, the Pac-12 was the league that pulled the plug. While we continue to value our close relationship (with the Big Ten), particularly our partnership in the Rose Bowl, the Pac-12 came to the conclusion that it s in our best interests to maintain our ninegame conference schedule and maximum flexibility in out-of-conference scheduling, Pac-12 commissioner Larry Scott said. The collaboration was slated to begin in 2017, with each team in each league slated to play one squad from the other in football each season. No actual matchups had been announced. The Big Ten ditched a previously announced plan to move to a nine-game conference schedule when it announced the Pac-12 deal, but the nine-game schedule could be back on the table, multiple news outlets reported. Ohio State canceled a planned homeand-home in with Tennessee after the Pac-12 deal was announced. Big Ten Note-worthy The University of Minnesota s regents approved beer and/or wine sales at the school s on-campus TCF Bank Stadium in a vote taken July 11. The move which became possible after the state legislature ruled in its favor this spring is expected to earn the university more than $1.5 million each year. The Big Ten s annual Media Days and Kickoff Luncheon are scheduled for July at Chicago s Hyatt McCormick Place hotel. The fan-friendly kickoff lunch, which will feature league mascots, players and coaches and will include an address from Michigan quarterback Denard Robinson, will be July 27 at 11:30 a.m. Central time.

17 Briefs/Scoreboard July 17, 2012 BSB Quickly 17 Baseball Player Kuchno Signs With Pittsburgh Ohio State s pitching depth for the 2013 season took a hit July 13 when right-handed pitcher John Kuchno chose to sign with the Pittsburgh Pirates rather than return to school for his junior season. Kuchno, an 18th-round pick of the Pirates in the June amateur draft, signed on the last day possible. According to Baseball America, he inked a signing bonus worth $125,000. This is something I have dreamed about since I was a kid, and I m really excited to be able to continue to chase my dream, Kuchno said. I ve had a great few years in Columbus and really appreciate what my coaches and teammates have done to help me get here. Without Ohio State, I never would have had the chance to get to where I am now. Kuchno was a student at Wake Forest in but grew four inches during that year and was discovered by the OSU coaches at a showcase in Indianapolis that offseason. He went 8-4 in 17 games (10 starts) with a 4.38 ERA in 2012, finishing his career with a 9-8 mark and 5.06 ERA in 27 games over two seasons. The Ellicott City, Md., native will make his debut with low Single-A State College of the New York-Penn League. Speaking of debuts, former Ohio State pitcher Josh Edgin was called up by the New York Mets on July 13 at the conclusion of the MLB All-Star break and pitched in his first game in the bigs that day against Atlanta. He allowed two runs in 1⅓ innings in a 7-5 loss that day before throwing a scoreless inning a night later with three strikeouts during an 8-7 loss. The lefthander began his college career at OSU, throwing for the Buckeyes in 2007 and 08. He appeared in 32 games, including 11 starts, as a Buckeye, going 2-2 with a 6.42 ERA before transferring to Francis Marion University in Florence, S.C. After two years there, Edgin was drafted by the Mets in 2010 and rose quickly through the ranks, going 3-2 with a 3.89 ERA in 35 relief appearances this season in Triple-A Buffalo. He became the fifth member of Ohio State s 2008 squad to reach the majors, joining J.B. Shuck, Matt Angle, Eric Fryer and Cory Luebke. Former Icers Sign NHL Contracts Two former members of the Ohio State men s hockey team with NHL experience signed with top-level squads in the early days of July. Corey Elkins ( ) was the first to do so, signing a one-year deal July 9 with the Anaheim Ducks after spending last season in Europe. The forward got an NHL cup of coffee with the Los Angeles Kings in , scoring one goal in three games. After three up-and-down seasons, Elkins led Ohio State in scoring as a senior in with 18 goals and 41 points as the Buckeyes made the NCAA tournament. He was named team MVP at the conclusion of the season. Sean Collins ( ) was signed July 11 to bolster the New York Rangers blueline depth. Collins signed a two-way (AHL/ NHL) deal with the organization after spending the past six seasons in the Washington Capitals organization. He played in 21 games with the Caps and 255 with Hershey of the American Hockey League, capturing two Calder Cup trophies. Collins had 88 points in his four-year Ohio State career, including a team-high 28 in while earning team MVP and second-team All-Central Collegiate Hockey Association honors. His 28 career goals are third all-time for an OSU defenseman. Buckeye Notes Emily Walsh, a senior on the Ohio State rowing team in 2012, was a member of the United States Under-23 national team that competed at the 2012 U-23 world championships in Lithuania. She raced on the women s eight boat that won the gold medal on July 13. Walsh earned second-team All- America honors in Men s golfers Dan Charen, a senior in 2012, and Grant Weaver, this year s Big Ten Freshman of the Year, competed July 9-14 at the USGA s U.S. Amateur Public Links Championships in Midway, Utah. Weaver advanced to the 64-person match play bracket before falling to Xander Schauffele, while Charen finished tied for 111th in the stroke play portion with a score of 10-over FOOTBALL Sept. 1 MIAMI (OHIO), Noon; 8 CENTRAL FLORIDA, Noon; 15 CALIFORNIA, Noon; 22 UAB, TBA; 29 at Michigan State, TBA. Oct. 6 NEBRASKA, 8 p.m.; 13 at Indiana, 8 p.m.; 20 PURDUE, TBA; 27 at Penn State, 6 p.m. Nov. 3 ILLINOIS, TBA; 17 at Wisconsin, TBA; 24 MICHIGAN, Noon FOOTBALL Aug. 31 VANDERBILT. Sept. 7 FLORIDA A&M; 14 at California; 21 BUFFALO; 28 WISCONSIN. Oct. 5 at Northwestern; 19 IOWA; 26 PENN STATE. Nov. 2 at Purdue; 16 at Illinois; 23 INDIANA; 30 at Michigan. Dec. 7 Big Ten Championship Game at Indianapolis FOOTBALL Aug. 30 vs. Navy at Baltimore. Sept. 13 KENT STATE; 20 VIRGINIA TECH; 27 CINCINNATI. Oct. 4 PURDUE; 18 at Iowa; 25 NORTHWESTERN. Nov. 1 at Wisconsin; 8 ILLINOIS; 15 at Penn State; 22 at Indiana; 29 MICHIGAN. Dec. 6 Big Ten Championship Game at Indianapolis FOOTBALL Sept. 5 NORTH CAROLINA; 12 NORTHERN ILLINOIS; 19 at Virginia Tech; 26 TBA. Oct. 3 at Purdue; 10 PENN STATE; 17 MICHIGAN STATE; 31 at Minnesota. Nov. 7 WISCONSIN; 14 at Illinois; 21 INDIANA; 28 at Michigan. Dec. 5 Big Ten Championship Game at Indianapolis FOOTBALL Sept. 3 BOWLING GREEN; 10 TBA; 17 at Oklahoma; 24 TBA. Oct. 1 PURDUE; 15 at Michigan State; 22 ILLINOIS; 29 at Penn State. Nov. 5 MINNESOTA; 12 at Wisconsin; 19 at Indiana; 26 MICHIGAN. Dec. 3 Big Ten Championship Game at TBA MEN S HOCKEY Oct. 7 WATERLOO (EXHIBITION), TBA; at Minnesota Duluth; at Quinnipiac; at Bowling Green. Nov ALASKA, TBA; NORTHERN MICHIGAN, TBA; at Lake Superior State; 30-Dec. 1 at Michigan State. Dec. 7 at Robert Morris; 8 ROBERT MORRIS, TBA; MIAMI (OHIO), TBA; 28 Pittsburgh College Hockey Invitational vs. Miami (Ohio), Robert Morris or Penn State; 29 Pittsburgh College Hockey Invitational vs. Miami (Ohio), Robert Morris or Penn State. Jan at Ferris State; at Northern Michigan; LAKE SUPERIOR STATE, TBA. Feb. 1-2 NOTRE DAME, TBA; 8-9 at Alaska; WESTERN MICHIGAN, TBA; MICHIGAN, TBA. March 1-2 at Miami (Ohio); 8-10 CCHA Tournament First Round Series; CCHA Tournament Quarterfinal Series; 22 CCHA Tournament Semifinals at Detroit; 23 CCHA Tournament Championship at Detroit; NCAA Tournament Regional at TBD. April 11 NCAA Frozen Four National Semifinals at Pittsburgh; 13 NCAA Frozen Four National Championship at Pittsburgh.

18