Ohio State Football Camp "All-Access" Specials Set To Air On ESPNU And ESPN

By HD Handshoe — BlockONation.com Founder

Most football fans are familiar with Hard Knocks, the yearly HBO behind-the-scenes reality show that features one chosen NFL team and a raw, unedited look at that teams training camp.

Past seasons of the HBO series have featured the Dallas Cowboys, Cincinnati Bengals, and the New York Jets. Well, move over Hard Knocks...

According to ESPN.com's Recruiting Nation, ESPNU and ESPN will air several fall camp specials featuring the Buckeyes and first year head coach, and former ESPN college football analyst, Urban Meyer.

This isn't the first time the mothership is featuring one of college football's all-time elite football programs. Last year, ESPN aired several Oklahoma Sooners all-access specials.

Admittedly, I didn't watch very much of last years all-access series (I'm guessing neither did many other Buckeye fans), but even the most anti-ESPN Buckeye fan will almost undoubtedly set aside their bitterness towards ESPN for a few days to watch this showcasing of Ohio State football.

Below is the entire press release, including episode air-dates and times.


Ohio State fans will get a close-up on the 2012 football season with new head coach Urban Meyer when ESPN debuts a series of All-Access specials beginning August 14 on ESPNU and additional ESPN platforms.

ESPN All-Access: Ohio State Training Days will showcase the Buckeyes as they train under Ohio native (Ashtabula, Ohio) Meyer who has returned from a coaching hiatus to lead the team.

With extensive behind-the-scenes access to on- and off-field play, team meetings and campus facilities, ESPN cameras will introduce players and coaches as they complete grueling pre-season training across six days.

Viewers will see four, 30-minute specials on ESPNU (August 14-17), a five-part series across College Football Live Presented by Dick’s Sporting Goods and SportsCenter (August 19-24), and a one-hour special on ESPN (August 22).

Lee Fitting, ESPN senior coordinating producer, said, "Anytime we can provide behind-the-scenes access inside one of the traditional power programs, it’s a treat for the viewers and the fans. Urban Meyer’s success at Florida and the unique story lines surrounding the Ohio State program will add to the intrigue of this series."

Tue, Aug. 14 5 p.m. ESPN All-Access: Ohio State Training Days ESPNU

Wed, Aug. 15 5 p.m. ESPN All-Access: Ohio State Training Days ESPNU

Thu, Aug. 16 5 p.m. ESPN All-Access: Ohio State Training Days ESPNU

Fri, Aug. 17 5 p.m. ESPN All-Access: Ohio State Training Days ESPNU

Sun, Aug. 19 4:30 or 11 p.m. SportsCenter                     ESPN

Mon, Aug. 20 3:30 p.m. College Football Live                  ESPNU

Tue, Aug. 21 3:30 p.m. College Football Live                  ESPN

Wed, Aug. 22 3:30 p.m. College Football Live                  ESPN

Wed, Aug. 22 7 p.m. ESPN All-Access: Ohio State Training Days ESPN

Thu, Aug. 23 3:30 p.m. College Football Live                  ESPN

Fri, Aug. 24 3:30 p.m. College Football Live                  ESPN

ESPN might not always be Buckeye-Football-friendly, but they aren't all dummies (or haters...cough, Mark May, cough...Ohio State 72, Pitt 0, cough...) up there in Bristol.

This decision was a no-brainer—Featuring Ohio State football will equal big ratings, and big ratings equal big money.

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Tebow, Bradford, and McCoy: Are They Really the Only Heisman Contenders?

by HD Handshoe
Founder
BlockONation


Whoa, whoa, whoa...

Did I miss something?

Did I pull a Rip Van Winkle and the 2009 season already passed me by?

Am I still sleeping? If so, quick, somebody pinch me.

Nope, I'm awake and it's still early August.

So since I thankfully didn't miss the season, what genius decided that before a single down has been played, that only three guys, Florida's Tim Tebow, Oklahoma's Sam Bradford, and Texas's Colt McCoy, are the only players in the running for the 2009 Heisman Trophy?

By the looks of the image posted today on ESPN (aka Espin), the combined brain powers that be (or in this case, lack thereof) up in Bristol already have the New York Downtown Athletic Club's December invites signed, sealed, and delivered.

Here's the image that was posted on ESPN's College Football frontpage today.



Certainly, Tebow, Bradford and McCoy are Heisman contenders, but if Espin can omit players deserving of being included in the mix, certainly we here at BlockONation can play that game too.

That being said, I went ahead and tweaked the image slightly.



Now, I did this "tweaking" just to prove a point.

Just because Espin posted their image with only Tebow, Bradford, and McCoy and I posted my own with only Pryor, that doesn't make those three or just Pryor the favorites.

There's actually a long list of talented guys that could emerge as legit Heisman candidates.

In fact, I wrote a two-part series recently, highlighting the top Heisman contenders this year, which you can read here (Part I) and here (Part II).

I just hope the media, mainly Espin, doesn't ruin the chances of someone very deserving, outside of their big three, come December.

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Thanks for visiting and please post your thoughts in the comments section!


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Ohio State—USC 2009: Position by Position, Who Has the Advantage?

by HD Handshoe
Founder
BlockONation.com

With the start of the 2009 season only 35 days away, I thought it would be fitting to repost a couple of articles that were originally published during the off-season, back when the season seemed so far away.

I'm sure there are new visitors to the site that have not read these stories and now they won't have to go digging through the archives.



Let me say this right up front.

I'm a Buckeye fan but I have done my damnedest to provide my absolute objective view on the game, all bias aside.

I've researched both teams and have previously written a couple of articles about them and this game so I feel pretty confident in what I'm about to post.

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OSU backfield vs. USC backfield

Pryor is in year 2 and has vastly improved his passing skills. Boom and Zoom will be just fine taking over for the departed Beanie Wells. Aaron Corp will make his 2nd career start in front of 105,000 fans and against one of the nation's best season to season defenses...

You can bet that OSU loads the box to stop the USC trio of backs and challenges Corp to beat them....I'm not sure he's ready to step up to that just yet....

Advantage - Ohio State (slightly)


OSU WR's vs. USC WR's

Both teams have fast WR's. Individually, Williams is the biggest name on both teams but as far as depth, OSU has just as much, albeit young.

Advantage - USC (slightyly)


OSU O-line vs. USC O-line

The Bucks O-line will be much better than last years group (especially now that dead-weight overrated Alex Boone is gone), but USC's guys have all played together for a full season so and are probably the best unit in the nation.

Advantage - USC


OSU D-line, LB's and DB's vs. USC's D-line, LB's and DB's

OSU is stronger on the front line, OSU & USC are pretty even at LB and USC gets the nod in the defensive backfield, primarily because of Taylor Mays!

Advantage - Push


OSU Special Teams vs. USC Special Teams

The Buckeyes have a solid kicker in Aaron Pettrey and they get a lot of practice kicking FG's. He has a powerful leg too and can kick from distance.

In the return game, I think both teams will have speed guys and are pretty even so only b/c of the kicker....

Advantage - OSU (slightly)


Tressell vs. Carroll

These are the top 2 winningest coaches in College Football since 2001 but Pete has more big wins and an AP title to go along with his BCS title and Tressel has more to prove, hopefully starting with this game...

Advantage - USC


X-Factor: The Shoe at Night



Just like last year in L.A., the Buckeyes defend their home turf just as well.

In the last 47 home games vs. OOC opponents, the Buckeyes are 46-1

Advantage - OSU

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Overall, it looks pretty even to me. OSU has the talent to compete vs. USC and they have the home field this time.

USC is extremely talented and they always reload and always shows up in bigtime national stage games.

Something has to give, but it's really too close to call IMO...

I hope for and expect a battle and for this one to live up to the "Game of the Century" hype!


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Buckeye Banter: Tressel Quietly Assembles Yet Another Monster Recruiting Class

by Kristofer Green
BlockONation Columnist



The recruiting talk in the Big Ten has centered primarily around Joe Paterno and the impressive group of 13 verbal commitments he and his staff have assembled.

The talk then usually turns to Rich Rodriguez who also has one of the top recruiting classes in the Big Ten.

But don't forget about Jim Tressel and the Ohio State Buckeyes.

The past two seasons Tressel has signed the top recruiting class in the Big Ten and those classes have ranked in the top five nationally.

This season the man with the sweater vest is quietly on his way toward signing another very talented class.

First came commitments from ESPNU 150 Watch List offensive tackle Andrew Norwell (Cincinnati) and ESPNU 150 Watch List linebacker Jamel Turner (Youngstown, Ohio).

Then in recent weeks, Tressel and Ohio State have landed oral commitments from one of the Midwest's top running backs—Roderick Smith (Ft. Wayne, Ind.), the top kicker in the state of Ohio—Drew Basil (Chillicothe), and a talented quarterback in Taylor Graham (Wheaton, Ill.).

Last week, Tressel added a commitment from ESPNU 150 Watch List defensive end Darryl Baldwin (Solon, Ohio). Penn State, Michigan State, Notre Dame, Michigan, and many others were also in the mix for Baldwin.

Tressel now has nine verbal commitments, including five ESPNU 150 Watch List prospects and four of the top six prospects in the state of Ohio.

The Buckeyes are still in the mix and could still land several outstanding uncommitted prospects from the state of Ohio, including Under Armour All-American linebacker Jordan Hicks (West Chester) and ESPNU 150 Watch List offensive lineman Matt James (Cincinnati).

The Buckeyes are also locked in on the nation's top prospect—offensive lineman Seantrel Henderson (St. Paul, Minn.) as well as a number of other top uncommitted prospects from outside the state of Ohio.

Tressel is assembling another outstanding class for Ohio State—one that could potentially be another top 10 class nationally.

7/29/09 UPDATE:

Florida WR James Louis has decommited from the University of Florida and has made a verbal commitment to play for Ohio State.

Louis (5-11, 178) is the No. 31-ranked receiver in the country according to Rivals.com and is the 12th-ranked player in the Orlando Sentinel's Florida Top 100.

This brings Ohio State's 2010 commit list to ten players thus far.

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