Category: Buckeyes Wire

Ohio State basketball forward Kyle Young to potentially undergo appendix surgery

Ohio State basketball forward Kyle Young fell ill before and after the contest with West Virginia and is being evaluated for appendicitis.

According to a report by Adam Jardy of the Columbus Dispatch, Ohio State basketball forward Kyle Young is being evaluated for appendicitis and may have to undergo surgery.

Young started for the Buckeyes Sunday in Cleveland against West Virginia, but according to the report from BuckeyeXtra (subscription may be required) he vomited prior and after the game OSU eventually lost 67-59. The Ohio State staff believed him to be in the early stages of the flu and continued to monitor him.

“It was touch and go with him,” Holtmann said according to Jardy.

Young has added a much needed presence for the Buckeye basketball team this year. He’s been the glue that does a little bit of everything on the court, from grabbing rebounds, making crucial passes, or even adding some much scoring (8.3 per contest) at times.

Young missed a few games with a stress fracture in his leg last spring but has been healthy so far this year. There is no timetable on when he will return if he does have to have surgery, but we’ll stay on top of it.

Ohio State WR Chris Olave takes blame for last play in Fiesta Bowl

Ohio State WR Chris Olave took full responsibility for the interception to end the Fiesta Bowl. Buckeye nation still appreciates him.

There are heartbreaking losses, and then there are program-defining losses that will be forever remembered. The latter happened for Ohio State in the 2019 Fiesta Bowl Saturday night. I told some fellow media members after the game that I’ve never witness an OSU football game in which I just felt so surprised on the outcome based on the way things went.

I am still shocked Ohio State didn’t pull that out last night.

The Buckeyes came out the way they needed to, played very well on both sides of the ball for the most part throughout the entire game, and outgained and outplayed Clemson for most of the contest. But in the end, there were a few too many key mistakes, and surely a few too many calls that simply didn’t go the good guys’ way.

Give the Tigers credit, but I don’t for one minute believe head coach Dabo Swinney didn’t have one-second where he thought his team might lose, no matter what he says.

Still, even at the end of the game, Ohio State marched right down the field in rhythm — executing its two-minute offense to perfection and found itself in position to cap off a game-winning drive. But just like the rest of the game, another break didn’t go the right way.

Justin Fields had plenty of time to throw and slung a pass with conviction toward wide-receiver Chris Olave. Unlike just a couple of possessions early though, this time instead of a touchdown, the pass was intercepted.

The way it was picked off will stick into the DNA of the program forever. Fields threw to a post-pattern while Olave broke towards the corner, leaving Clemson DB Nolan Turner all alone to make the easy play.

Afterwards, Olave owned what he called his mistake.

“It was a one-on-one with me on the safety, and I was supposed to run the post,” Olave said following the Fiesta Bowl thriller. “But when I looked back I thought he scrambled — so I tried to work the second part of my route. He ended up throwing it, and that’s how the game ended.”

That’s a big-time own by a kid that has turned into one whale of a threat in the passing game. And remember this: Ohio State isn’t likely in the College Football Playoff without Olave’s game-changing playmaking this year.

Olave is one heck of a kid, and is mature beyond his years. He strikes you as appreciative and engaging in post-game locker room sessions, always ending each interview with “appreciate you.” He’ll bounce back.

Go get ’em next year Chris. Appreciate you.

 

Watch what Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney said about Ohio State after the Fiesta Bowl

Clemson HC Dabo Swinney met with the media following his team’s thrilling victory in the Fiesta Bowl. Watch what he said about Ohio State.

Clemson did it again. Ohio State outgained and outplayed the Tigers for the majority of the 2019 Fiesta Bowl, but the defending champions got up off the mat, and made the plays they needed to at the end to snatch the victory away from Ohio State.

Head coach Dabo Swinney was a happy man after the game and took time to meet with the media in Phoenix after all the confetti fell. He praised the heart and resiliency of his team, but also had some very complimentary things to say about the Buckeyes.

In case you missed it, you can catch his complete comments in the YouTube video below. Thanks to TigerNet for archiving Dabo discussing his team, the play of Trevor Lawrence and the play of Ohio State.

Ohio State AD Gene Smith was not happy with replay official in Fiesta Bowl

Ohio State athletic director Gene Smith voiced his displeasure of the Fiesta Bowl replay booth to a couple high-profile media members.

Taking all things aside, there’s no denying the fact that the 2019 Fiesta Bowl was a highly entertaining one. Ohio State raced out to a 16-0 lead, then Clemson reeled things back in before a back-and-forth nip and tuck affair. In the end, the defending national champions made one more play than Ohio State, but it was must-watch television.

But about that controversy …

By now, you know about the targeting penalty that removed a key player from Ohio State’s secondary. You also know about the overturned fumble TD return that took a touchdown off the board for the Buckeyes. Both were questionable, and both were a result of a replay official’s judgement call and had a big hand in costing Ohio State the victory in the desert night Saturday.

Sure, the Buckeyes could have made less mistakes and taken more advantage of their opportunities, but there’s no denying the impact of the decisions made in the booth.

Apparently Ohio State Athletic Director Gene Smith wasn’t happy about what he called an “overreach” by the replay official in the booth. He talked to not one, but two high-profile members of the media to voice his displeasure shortly after the game.

First we saw this from FOX analyst Joel Klatt.

That’s a softer tone than what we saw from Pete Thamel of Yahoo! Sports.

Now, Smith may feel this way, as do several Ohio State fans and even neutral observers that watched the game. And yeah, he is right to some degree, but to voice displeasure in the media is not a good look and sounds a little like sour grapes.

Smith did at least end things with a positive note to the team.

My guess is that Smith probably wishes he handled it a little bit differently, but he’s not the only one that felt like the world was against Ohio State Saturday night.

 

Ohio State loses to Clemson in the Fiesta Bowl: 5 things we learned

Ohio State battled through adversity but came up a little short in the 2019 Fiesta Bowl. Here’s five things we learned in heartbreaking fashion.

It was right there for the taking. Ohio State jumped out to an early lead and punched Clemson in the mouth. Then a few things went the wrong way, like controversial calls, second-chances and big plays from Clemson. Just like that, the ball game was on, and it stayed tight right through the end.

The Buckeyes got one last chance to wrestle redemption from despair at the end of the game, but a break down in communication resulted in an interception in the end zone that sealed the deal.

A fantastic season is now over, and it feels so premature for this team. As is customary, here’s five things we learned after the heartbreak in the desert.

The best team doesn’t always win

I’ll probably get hate mail from sweet tea and grits country on this one, but the better team didn’t win tonight. Give all the credit in the world to Clemson for making one more play than Ohio State did, but if you watched the game I did, the Buckeyes were more talented and probably should be the one playing in New Orleans instead of Clemson.

OSU got more yardage, more rushing yards, more passing yards, more first downs and won the time of possession yet still somehow lost this game. It seemed like every big call and every break went the way of the Tigers, and then when they needed to make something happen to win this thing, they did.

I’ll go to the grave though believing this is one that should have been in the win column.

Next … J.K. Dobbins is a warrior

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Ohio State misses opportunities, loses heartbreaker to Clemson in Fiesta Bowl

Ohio State battled through controversy, turnovers and the clock but lost a heartbreaker to Clemson in the Fiesta Bowl.

It sure looked like early on Ohio State was going to win this one going away. It raced out to a 16-0 lead that seemed like it should have been a lot more. Truth be known, it should have been. The Buckeyes went 0-3 deep in the red zone and had to settle for three field goals.

Like a champion does, Clemson then punched back and grabbed momentum just before half by getting a couple of touchdowns to make it 16-14 at the half. The second half was a nip and tuck affair that went back and forth. Both teams struggled at times to move the ball, and there was a little controversy mixed in for good measure.

The Buckeyes were able to regain a couple point lead mid-way through the fourth quarter on a gutsy call, but after working the clock and moving the ball into Clemson territory, it couldn’t convert on a key third down and punted it back to the Tigers.

You had a feeling the champs would make good on one final drive and they did — taking just four plays to score and getting a two point conversion to go up 29-23.

Ohio State had 1:49 left on the clock to try and do something, but despite getting a few key plays to move the ball down the field early deep into enemy territory, things tightened up and OSU couldn’t quite finish the deal when Fields threw an interception with just :37 left in Clemson’s end zone.

In the end, Ohio State battled but lost a game it probably should have won against one whale of a team.

 

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Ohio State vs. Clemson: Controversial overturn on fumble for TD costs Ohio State

Ohio State had a fumble return for a touchdown overturned in the Fiesta Bowl. To say that it was controversial is an understatement.

Ohio State started very fast against Clemson in the Fiesta Bowl, but couldn’t cash in with touchdowns in the red zone, instead settling for three field goals to lead 16-0. As you knew they would, the Tigers responded and made it a game at the half — seizing momentum that it cashed in for the first touchdown of the second half to secure its first lead of the game 21-16.

Then momentum seemed to turn. Quarterback Trevor Lawrence threw a quick out route to wide receiver Tee Higgins, but it looked for all the world that Higgins caught the pass, then had it knocked free by Jeff Okudah. Jordan Fuller scooped it up and then took it to the house to give Ohio State some much needed momentum, and the lead again.

But the replay official reviewed the play and overturned the fumble. Clemson then punted away and a pivotal score was taken off the board.

You can judge for yourself here thanks to the video posted by ESPN. We’ll reserve judgement for now, but the reaction on Twitter should tell you all you need to know if you just look around.

Ohio State running back J.K. Dobbins headed to locker room, currently out of Fiesta Bowl

Ohio State running back J.K. Dobbins is dealing with an ankle injury and had been in and out of the locker room at the Fiesta Bowl.

After what can only be described as a dynamic first half, Ohio State running back J.K. Dobbins has headed off the field and into the locker room to check out what appears to be an ankle injury. Dobbins suffered the injury late in the first half on a carry in-between the tackles.

Back up running back Master Teague then spelled the new single-season leading rusher in Ohio State history, but Dobbins came out in the second half to try and give it a go with a heavily taped ankle. But he stopped and motioned for the training staff after barely being on the field and headed back to the locker room.

However, he is now back after getting a re-tape we presume.

Clearly Teague is good enough to carry the load, but Dobbins has been a force in this game and his loss will be a key one if he can’t come back and be healthy enough to be effective.

 

Contact/Follow us @BuckeyesWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Ohio State news, notes and opinion.

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Halftime Report: Ohio State dominates Clemson early yet only leads by 2

It felt like the Ohio State Buckeyes dominated the Clemson Tigers, yet they will enter halftime only leading by two points.

It felt like the Ohio State Buckeyes dominated the Clemson Tigers, yet they will enter halftime only leading by two points thanks to a late surge by the ACC Champions.

It isn’t enough to say the first half of the Fiesta Bowl was entertaining. Going up 16-0 to start the half, Ohio State allowed a few huge plays in which it almost lost the lead to end the half.

However, the biggest play of the first half may not have been a scoring play after all, but a judgement call by the officiating crew.

It was Shaun Wade’s ejection for targeting that turned the tide. It was questionable at best as both Chase Young and Wade collapsed on the Clemson quarterback. Trevor Lawrence went down and stayed down in agony, but lowered his head as Wade came in on the tackle.

The first half was ignited by 60-plus yard runs from both Trevor Lawrence and J.K. Dobbins. With Dobbins totaling 142 yards on nine carries, the junior was almost able to take two more to the house yet failed to secure two catches that could have made the gap even larger.

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Overall, the first half was a thriller, yet for Ohio State, it was brutal ending as they almost put the game away. The Tigers clawed back in the game and now we’re sure to have a tight second half.

Time to fight through the adversity.

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[lawrence-related id=20087]

 

Contact/Follow us @BuckeyesWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Ohio State news, notes and opinion.

We have a forum and message board now. Get in on the conversation about Ohio State athletics by joining the Buckeyes Wire Forum.

Ohio State vs Clemson: Shaun Wade ejected for targeting in second quarter

Ohio State lost starting cornerback Shaun Wade after he was ejected for targeting on Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence in the 2nd quarter.

The Ohio State Buckeyes third-starting cornerback Shaun Wade was ejected for targeting on Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence. It was a game-changing call.

As Wade blitzed on Lawrence, both the he and defensive end Chase Young collapsed on Lawrence.

Sadly, the ref viewed the play as dirty andd has ruled Wade out for the remainder of the most important game of his career. Wade was a highly impactful player, and his absence will be missed. Even more, it kept a Clemson drive alive that resulted in a touchdown.

The Buckeyes will now heavily rely on Jordan Fuller, Damon Arnette Jr., and Jeff Okudah. With the game now within a field goal, Wade’s absence is as crucial as ever.

That said, here’s a look at the play that Wade received a targeting call on.

It was excruciating to see for Ohio State fans. And one has to wonder if this is really what the spirit of targeting is all about?