Buckeye Talk: Ohio State Podcast By Cleveland.com

Ohio State will wrap up its spring practice schedule on Saturday with the 2024 Spring Game providing fans the first chance to see its roster. On this episode of Buckeye Talk, Stephen Means takes rants from the Subtext subscribers on everything they want to see from the Buckeyes on Saturday. That list includes everything from what the quarterbacks look like, the development of the offensive line freshman Jeremiah Smith and even a few thoughts on what OSU can do to add to the game's environment. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Is a third player beginning to emerge as a candidate to win Ohio State football's starting quarterback job? Ryan Day spoke highly of Julian Sayin as the five-star has turned heads since he arrived as a transfer from Alabama. So on this episode of Buckeye Talk, Stephen Means asks Nathan Baird and Andrew Gillis to follow him into his hypothetical world and map out what it would look like for him to beat out Will Howard and Devin Brown to win the job. But first, the three give their initial impressions on new running backs coach Carlos Locklyn along with a discussion about the potential post0spring attrition OSU could see in the transfer portal. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Everyone is healthy and ready to play Saturday in Ohio Stadium in this version of an Ohio State spring game draft from Buckeye Talk. There are two full 22-player teams to be drafted, and Nathan Baird and Andrew Gillis go head-to-head with their selections while Stephen Means moderates. With so many options on both sides of the ball, we’re splitting things up and doing just the starting 11 on defense. This should tell you something about the 2024 Buckeyes with spring football winding down, it should help get you ready for Saturday, plus drafts are always fun. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Everyone is healthy and ready to play Saturday in Ohio Stadium in this version of an Ohio State spring game draft from Buckeye Talk. There are two full 22-player teams to be drafted, and Nathan Baird and Andrew Gillis go head-to-head with their selections while Stephen Means moderates. With so many options on both sides of the ball, we’re splitting things up and doing just the starting 11 on offense. This should tell you something about the 2024 Buckeyes with spring football winding down, it should help get you ready for Saturday, plus drafts are always fun. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ohio State's gearing up for its 2024 Spring Game, and there are several important players visiting campus. On this episode of Buckeye Talk, Stephen Means and Andrew Gillis take a look at the visitor list for the final practice of the spring session. The two discuss who Andrew thinks are the most important or most interesting people expected to. be in Columbus and why. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode of Buckeye Talk, Stephen Means, Nathan Baird and Andrew Gillis discuss Ohio State football's linebackers, safeties and running backs. They discuss the possibility of rotating four or five linebackers during the season and the challenges of finding the right combination of players. They also talk about the transition of Caleb Downs to Ohio State and his commitment to staying with the team. The conversation highlights the importance of building depth at safety and mentions several players who could contribute to that position. Plus what the running backs think of new coach Carlos Locklynn on his first day and offensive lineman Joshua Simmons going through his first full offseason at OSU. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk, Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ohio State football's 2025 recruiting class is off to a strong start, with 11 commits, including seven top 100 players. On this episode of Buckeye Talk, Stephen Means and Andrew Gillis discuss the latest commitments in four-star defensive lineman Lononn Merrit, four-star linebacker TJ Alford, four-star wide receiver De’zie Jones and four-star safety DeShawn Stewart. They also discuss recent three-star safety Cody Haddad’s decommitment from Wisconsin and what that could mean for OSU. The conversation concludes with a discussion on the significance of early commitments and the importance of landing big recruits to maintain a strong recruiting class. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ohio State has finally found a replacement for Tony Alford following his departure for Michigan with Carlos Locklyn taking over as the new running backs coach. On this episode of Buckeye Talk, Stephen Means, Nathan Biard and Andrew Gillis explore Locklynn’s background and coaching career, as well as the potential impact he could have on the team. They also delve into the challenges of recruiting running backs in the 2025 class and the importance of maintaining a strong running back room. Additionally, they analyze the projected starting offensive line Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ohio State invited its student body to get a sneak preview of its 2024 football team for spring practice No. 8 and Buckeye Talk is here to tell you what happened. Stephen Means, Nathan Baird and Andrew Gillis analyze the hierarchy of the quarterbacks, with Devin Brown and Will Howard emerging as the top two contenders. They also discuss the performance of freshman quarterback Julian Sayin and his potential impact in the future. Then they shift their attention to the offensive line, noting that while the defensive line had a strong performance, there were signs of improvement compared to last year. They discuss the potential starting lineup and the importance of cohesion among the offensive linemen. The episode concludes with a hyperbolic conversation about five-star freshman wide receiver Jeremiah Smith before wrapping things up with Stephen’s theory on what the offensive philosophy could be this fall. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ohio State lost its best tight end and one of its top defensive tackles to the NFL Draft. The Buckeyes have candidates to replace both, though this spring will answer a lot of questions. Nathan and Andrew discuss what they heard from tight ends, defensive tackles and defensive ends after Ohio State's seventh practice of the spring. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode of Buckeye Talk, Stephen Means and Andrew Gillis discuss Ohio State football's 2025 recruiting class. They start by discussing the implications of losing four-star wide receiver Jayvan Boggs and who the other potential targets are. Then they discuss where OSU pivots to next after losing out on its top 2026 quarterback target Jared Curtis who committed to Georgia over the weekend. Then they wrap things up by previewing the decision of four-star linebacker TJ Alford and the Buckeyes’ chances of landing him. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode of Buckeye Talk, Stephen Means, Nathan Baird and Andrew discuss Ohio State football's tight and defensive line positions. They highlight the different vibes from the defensive line coach and the tight ends coach when discussing their position groups. While one group seems to be confident about its options heading into a 2024 season where OSU could play as many as 17 games, the other is still trying to figure out how to replace the production of a two-year starter, who's off to the NFL. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode of Buckeye Talk, Stephen Means and Nathan Baird discuss the wide receiver room at Ohio State. They compare the current group to the 2022 wide receiver room and highlight the confidence Brian Hartline has in the young players. They also discuss the importance of culture and mental toughness in the wide receiver room. The conversation touches on Bryson Rogers’ decision to return to Ohio State and the potential breakout seasons of Brandon Innis and Carnell Tate. They also discuss the impact of Chip Kelly’s presence on Brian Hartline and his development as a coach. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode of Buckeye Talk, Stephen Means and Nathan Baird discuss the back seven of Ohio State's defense. The discussion highlights the cross-training and position flexibility of players like Sonny Styles and CJ Hicks. The depth and competition in the linebacker room are explored, as well as the handling of expectations and the development of CJ Hicks. The conversation also delves into the competition between cornerbacks and wide receivers, and the impact of Jim Knowles’ defensive scheme and the talent at Ohio State. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ohio State's 2024 Pro Day for the NFL Draft featured a smaller list of participants than most would've expected a year ago, with Marvin Harrison Jr. choosing not to participate in the draft process. On this episode of Buckeye Talk, Stephen Means, Nathan Baird and Andrew Gillis discuss Harrison's approach and speculate on his potential draft position. They also analyze the quarterbacks' performance at Pro Day even if Will Howard and Devin Brown weren't the players being evaluated by NFL scouts. Plus a conversation about OSU's star defensive ends and which one could end up going higher in the 2025 NFL Draft. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode of Buckeye Talk, Stephen Means, Nathan Baird, and Andrew Gillis discuss Ryan Day’s first interview since Tony Alford’s departure as Ohio State’s running backs coach. They analyze Day’s demeanor and approach to the situation, emphasizing the need to move forward and focus on finding a replacement. The conversation also delves into the importance of recruiting and player development for the running back position. The hosts speculate on the timeline for hiring a new coach and discuss potential candidates. They also provide updates on the offensive line battle and the depth at the tight end position. The episode concludes with a discussion on Day’s special teams discussion with a former Ohio State coach. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jake Diebler was hired as the Ohio State basketball team’s head coach after closing out the season in an interim role On this episode of Buckeye Talk, Stephen Means and Nathan Baird discuss incoming athletic director Ross Bjork’s decision to hire Diebeler and how it impacts the program’s future. They also discuss whether Bjork’s decision was the best possible choice and if the way he came to this decision tells us anything about how he would handle having to one day hire a new football coach. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode of Buckeye Talk, Stephen Means, Nathan Baird and Andrew Gillis discuss adding players to the Ohio State football's roster. The trio analyzes the potential impact of these additions and discusses the current roster's strengths and weaknesses. They each select one player from outside the roster to add to the team on both offense and defense. The offensive selections include an offensive lineman, a tight end, and a quarterback. While the defensive sections include two defensive linemen and a linebacker. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Ohio State basketball team is in the middle of turning around its season after firing Chris Holtmann with interim coach Jake Diebler leading the way. That means it's time for a rants pod here on Buckeye Talk. On this episode, Stephen Means takes some thoughts from Subtext subscribers to talk about the most pressing issues around OSU's hoops team. He also takes a look at what it might take for a team that's suddenly built momentum to sneak its way into the NCAA Tournament. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Michigan's hiring of Tony Alford as their run game coordinator and running back coach has caused a stir in the Ohio State football realm. Alford's departure from Ohio State after nine years was unexpected, especially during spring practice. While it is not unprecedented for coaches to leave for rival teams, the timing and the personal impact on the players make it significant. The departure raises questions about the future of Ohio State's running back room and the need for a replacement. Ryan Day has options for finding a new running back coach, and the decision-making process will be crucial. Thanks for listening to Buckeye Talk Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices