HAVE TO AGREE WITH COOPER ... ORLANDO PACE 'WAS THE BEST'

Orlando Pace

Many in Buckeye Nation know my thoughts on former Ohio State head football coach John Cooper's tenure in Columbus. 

I believe it's a travesty that he's a member of the College Football Hall of Fame.

Sure, I haven't agreed with just about anything he has said or the tactics he has employed in the past, but one item the coach and I are in absolute agreement on is how great we feel former Buckeyes left tackle Orlando Pace was during his career — not only in Columbus, but in the NFL, as well.

BUCKEYES HAVE A LONG WAY TO GO BEFORE HEADING TO PASADENA

Braxton Miller
TBT/Darla Dunkle-Hudnell

Ohio State wrapped up its spring football season over the weekend, and will now go into the next few months with some screws to tighten, bruises to mend and some seriously sky-high expectations to live up to this fall.

The Buckeyes, who are now out from under the NCAA bowl ban which prevented them from playing in the postseason — and perhaps a national title — in 2012, will surely begin the 2013 campaign as a favorite to reach the BCS Championship game on Jan. 6.

SCARLET DOWNS GRAY, 31-14, BEHIND AERIAL SHOW BY BRAXTON MILLER

AP Photo

CINCINNATI (AP) — Ohio State coach Urban Meyer preferred to talk about Tiger Woods' two-shot penalty at the Masters than his team's final spring workout.

"Do you mind if we talk about that for a minute?" he said after the Buckeyes' annual spring game. "That's probably more interesting than what I've got to say."

Still, there was plenty of noteworthy items from Saturday's intrasquad scrimmage played at the Cincinnati Bengals' Paul Brown Stadium due to reconstruction being done at Ohio Stadium.

OSU SPRING FOOTBALL: WR DEVIN SMITH EXPECTED TO BE 'ELITE'

Devin Smith
TBT/Darla Dunkle-Hudnell

COLUMBUS — Ohio State junior wide receiver Devin Smith created some oohs and awes last season as a sophomore, hauling in deep touchdown passes in victories against California, Michigan State and Indiana, as well as supplying the Buckeyes with one of the most outstanding catches in recent years — a miraculous one-handed TD snare in the season-opener against Miami University.

These are things OSU head coach Urban Meyer knows Smith is quite capable of, and usually doesn't praise the Buckeyes' talented pass catcher much for doing so. It's just expected of him.

OSU SPRING FOOTBALL: BUCKEYES HOPING MILLER CAN BE AN '11' IN 2013

Braxton Miller, left, and Urban Meyer
TBT/Darla Dunkle-Hudnell

COLUMBUS — For a player who was named the Big Ten Freshman of the Year in 2011, and the conference's Offensive Player of the Year in 2012, Ohio State quarterback Braxton Miller still garners more than his fair share of criticism from the Buckeyes' coaching staff.

OSU DB COREY BROWN NEEDS TO BE 'PITTSBURGH,' NOT 'THE OTHER'

Corey "Pittsburgh" Brown
TBT/Darla Dunkle-Hudnell

COLUMBUS — When referring to Ohio State football player Corey Brown, you usually have to denote which one you are speaking of. 

There is wide receiver Corey Brown, who is known as "Philly." And there is the defensive back Corey Brown, known as "Pittsburgh."

Can you guess where they are from?

OHIO STATE POINT GUARD AARON CRAFT WAS A FOOTBALL STAR FIRST

Ohio State's Aaron Craft, middle, fights for the loose ball in the Buckeyes 78-75 win over Iowa State in the men's NCAA basketball tournament on Sunday in Dayton. (AP Photo)

Once upon a time, Ohio State basketball star Aaron Craft was known more for being a football player than a hoopster.

Sure, he was stellar since the first time he stepped on to the hardwood as a freshman at Liberty-Benton High School (outside of Findlay), leading the Eagles to a Div. III state runners-up finish in his freshman season (2006-07). He went on to lead L-B to an 88-5 record during his four-year career, and was selected as the Div. III Player of the Year as a senior in 2010.

However, being that football is more of a religion in the state of Ohio than it is a sport, Craft's prowess on the gridiron was what first made him a star.

AP: WITH FOUR TEAMS LEFT IN NCAA TOURNAMENT, BIG TEN LOOKS BEST

AP Photo

EAST LANSING, Mich. (AP) — The Big Ten has a nation-high four teams still in the NCAA tournament, bolstering its season-long boast that its conference is the best in college basketball.

The Big Ten has combined to win 10 games so far, its best showing through the round of 32 — ever.

And, it could get even better.

OSU VICTORY OVER IOWA STATE IS REMINISCENT OF 2003 WIN OVER MIAMI

Aaron Craft (4) hits game-winner Sunday
over Iowa State. (AP Photo)

All of the commotion revolving around the questionable charging call against Iowa State, during their third round tournament game against Ohio State on Sunday in Dayton, reminds me of when the Buckeyes defeated the University of Miami in the 2003 Fiesta Bowl.

In overtime of the Buckeyes' 31-24 victory over the Hurricanes in Tempe (Ariz.), Miami was called for pass interference on fourth down, giving Ohio State the football on the one, as well as a first down. The highly questionable call allowed the Buckeyes to remain alive, and eventually win their seventh national championship in school-history.

OSU SPRING FOOTBALL: CUPBOARD ON DEFENSIVE FRONT ISN'T BARE

Noah Spence

COLUMBUS — Ohio State football fans may be down in the dumps about the graduation of star defensive end John Simon. It's only normal that losing the Big Ten's defensive player of the year would leave some faithful a little melancholy.

Mix in the fact that the Buckeyes also lost fellow defensive end Nathan Williams, as well as both starting tackles, Garrett Goebel and Johnathan Hankins, and Buckeye Nation falls into a deep, deep depression.

OSU SPRING FOOTBALL: DRAYTON SAYS OFFENSE '60-PERCENT' IN 2012

Jordan Hall (7) brings new dynamic to OSU offense.
TBT/Darla Dunkle-Hudnell

COLUMBUS — Ohio State running backs coach Stan Drayton said following the Buckeyes' third practice of the spring on Tuesday, that last year's offense "operated at about 60 percent (efficiency)."

So, essentially the coach is saying that the Buckeyes' offense — which averaged 37.2 points and 423.8 yards per game last season — has been given a 'D' on the report card? That compared to where they should be (at 100-percent efficiency), last year's version of the Buckeyes' offense performed at a rate and tempo reminiscent of the zombies from "The Walking Dead?"

NCAA TOURNEY PREDICTIONS: OHIO STATE MAKES IT TO ATLANTA

March Madness is here, and my picks are in ... enjoy!

Note: I know this is strictly a football blog, but it's un-American not to fill out a bracket!

MIDWEST

Round of 64

1. Louisville over 16 NC A&T

MICHIGAN'S DENARD ROBINSON COULD BE IDEAL FOR BROWNS

Denard Robinson (16)
TBT/Darla Dunkle-Hudnell

I know many of my Ohio State readers are going to scream "sacrilege!" with my following statement, but I believe the Cleveland Browns should draft Michigan quarterback/athlete Denard Robinson with their second pick (third round) of the 2013 NFL Draft.

With the Browns losing all-pro athlete Joshua Cribbs to free agency — as well as lacking a premier athlete with the speed to turn a five-yard hitch route or a reverse into a 60-yard dash to pay dirt — picking up a player with Robinson's abilities would be an ideal selection. Especially in the third round. Nobody in that round will have the abilities and talent Robinson possesses.

OSU SPRING FOOTBALL: LB CURTIS GRANT FEELING LIKE OLD SELF AGAIN

Curtis Grant

COLUMBUS — Ohio State sophomore Curtis Grant was considered the top rated high school linebacker in the nation coming out of Hermitage (Va.) High School in 2011, according to Scout.com.

Grant was the defensive prize of Jim Tressel's final recruiting class. He was expected to follow in the footsteps of a long line of OSU linebacker stalwarts like Chris Spielman, Tom Cousineau, A.J. Hawk and James Laurinaitis.

OSU SPRING FOOTBALL: THE NEXT FRAGEL? HOW ABOUT DORAN GRANT?

Doran Grant

COLUMBUS — Ohio State head football coach Urban Meyer is always pushing his players to perform at their highest levels.

He has said numerous times in his year and a half in Columbus that he despises average. That being just average is plain unacceptable. He will not be around average.

Sure, he has had his number of athletes who have left the program because they couldn't ascend above run-of-the-mill status.

OSU SPRING PRACTICE: JORDAN HALL FINDS A NEW SPOT ... IN THE SLOT

Jordan Hall
TBT/Darla Dunkle-Hudnell

COLUMBUS — Jordan Hall has played tailback ever since he stepped on campus as a freshman at Ohio State in the fall of 2009.

In four seasons with the Buckeyes, Hall has toted the rock 224 times for 1,032 yards and six touchdowns. He has speed, toughness, wiggle, and although he possesses a smaller frame (5-9, 195), Hall can run with power and tenacity.

However, the 2012 college football season wasn't too kind to the dynamic runner out of Jeannette (Pa.), as he suffered a foot injury prior to fall camp which resulted in missing the opening two games of the year against Miami (OH) and Central Florida.

BUCKEYES SPRING PRACTICE PREVIEW: FIVE THINGS TO WATCH

Braxton Miller
TBT/Darla Dunkle-Hudnell

COLUMBUS — Spring practice begins on Tuesday for the Ohio State football team, and the Buckeyes — who are no longer on a post-season ban — are regarded as contenders for a national title this season.

Of course, in order to have a championship season, you must first take command of March and April.

Here are five things to keep an eye on this spring for the Buckeyes ...

WHAT IS THE DEFINITION OF A "REAL MAN?" ... SEE: CHRIS SPIELMAN

Chris Spielman

Someday my son is going to ask me what it means to be a "real man."

And hopefully I can be the definition he is looking for with his question.

However, I haven't faced the obstacles that many others have encountered. I can only hope that if I'm ever tested against certain adversity that I'd protect my family, always do what is right, and be an example of how to be a "real man."

Fortunately, there is one man that my son can readily use as a role model, a true definition of a "real man."

His name is Chris Spielman.

BROWNS LOOKING FOR NEW QB ... HOW ABOUT TERRELLE PRYOR?

Terrelle Pryor
TBT/Darla Dunkle-Hudnell

Brandon Weeden's chances of remaining as the Cleveland Browns' starting quarterback under the new regime, seems about as likely as an Israeli and a Palestinian holding hands by a campfire singing "Kumbaya."

Not gonna happen!

New owner Jimmy Haslam, president Joe Banner, GM Michael Lombardi, nor head coach Rob Chudzinski, have come out in support of Weeden, who continually regressed as his rookie season moved on in 2012.

MARK EMMERT IS A HYPOCRITE, SHOULD RESIGN AS NCAA PRESIDENT

Mark Emmert

Hypocrisy: the practice of claiming to have moral standards or beliefs to which one's own behavior does not conform.

Mark Emmert: a person who indulges in hypocrisy.

On Monday, NCAA President Emmert fired VP of Enforcement, Julie Roe Lach, in the midst of an investigation of the organization's handling of the University of Miami's improper conduct claims. 

Last month, the NCAA issued a press release stating that some members of their enforcement staff obtained information about a bankruptcy proceeding, involving Nevin Shapiro — a former University of Miami booster, who allegedly pampered Hurricane football players for nearly a decade with cash, elaborate parties, and other benefits deemed improper by the NCAA.