According To Carp

The NBA playoffs are in full force and the Cleveland Cavs are rolling, but who will they play? The East appears to be garbage, but who do they match up with best? Beau and I discuss the potential matchups and if the Cavs can bring an NBA banner home to Cleveland?   Jim Harbaugh has set the college football world on fire with his spring ball road show. With NCAA lifting the Satellite Camp ban, it has opened up the entire world to him. UM is hosting camps all across the U.S. and even one in Australia. But it was is his attempt to partner with Chris Ash and Rutgers that fueled the Ohio v. Michigan boarder war. Ash called his former mentor and now OSU and Rutgers will be forging a camp alliance.   Season Six of Game of Thrones has been intriguing to say the least. It appears to be the season where many of the larger story line questions will begin to be answered. I credit Beau for turning me onto this unbelievable gem.   Topics:   Cavs in the NBA Playoffs   Rutgers & OSU Satellite Alliance   Game of Thrones

The 2016 NFL Draft was filled with excitement and trades. Very few years will see a 1st round with the level of team movement what was witnessed this year. After an uneventful 2015, this year’s draft started off with a bang. Two blockbuster trades for two quarterbacks before a single second had ticked off the clock. That type of aggressive behavior set the stage for a 1st round that saw the Browns move twice, five Buckeyes drafted and three in the top 10. Overall 12 Buckeyes were drafted in the top 150 picks, a very impressive feat (even if they fell short of the overall record). We will take a look at some of the best landing spots for Buckeye draftees, I answer a few twitter questions and we put a nice bow on the draft.   Satellite camps were banned by the NCAA after many of the southern schools deemed that it was an unfair recruiting advantage. It takes years to get any legislation passed with the NCAA, but they were able to make this ruling in only a few months. There was no reason given and the public ou

Spring football is finally over. Every year the Spring Game punctuates the 15 practices over the previous 6 weeks. There are players who will have breakout performances in the Spring Game, but does that carry over to the fall? Often times no, but that doesn’t mean that is can’t. Michael Thomas has proved to be the spring exception. Who else stepped up this year? Did Joe Burrow solidify his hold on the backup QB job?   The Tennessee Titans made the trade of the draft with the LA Rams. The Rams gave up a bounty for the right to pick their next franchise QB. On the surface this looks like it hurt the Browns, but I think it was really a blessing in disguise. Find out why on this edition of According to Carp.   Topics:   Spring Game Wrap Up   Remembering Will Smith   NFL draft trade updates

Ohio State’s spring ball is nearly half over, but there are still many unresolved issues. Urban Meyer and the Buckeye staff are still looking to solve some of the position problems that occurred with the departure of 16 starters from both sides of the ball. The only way to determine who can handle the pressure is to turn up the heat and that is exactly what Urban has been doing to the O Line, Wide Receivers and QB’s. Even though JT Barrett is the incumbent starter, a back up must still emerge. Find out how these positions battles are playing out.   Thad Matta is the most successful coach in OSU Hoops history. Outside of a National Title, he has achieved everything imaginable during his tenure. However with 4 of 5 freshman transferring after only a single season there is a sense of worry. What are the problems most freshman face and how tough a freshman year can be will be answered in this edition of According to Carp.     Topics:   Spring Ball Update   OSU Hoops Transfer Issue

I am always curious how a kid from southern California, with no Ohio ties, ends up at OSU. Michael Thomas had every reason to stay on the west coast. He is the nephew of NFL legend and former USC Trojan Keshawn Johnson, but some how ended up in the Buckeye state. Maybe it was his one year stint at Fork Union Military Academy that led to his love for Ohio State or maybe it was his future college QB Cardale Jones, who convinced him to join him in Columbus? Michael answers why he came and who his dream NFL team would be. We discuss what makes him a special player and how he helped hone his skills through a tough couple of years to start his collegiate career. It wasn’t the tradition path to the NFL that many people think.       Topics:   From Cali to Fork Union   Learning from a Red Shirt   What makes Michael Thomas a great WR   Who he wants to play for in the NFL

Pro Day has come and gone, but did any former Buckeye help their draft stock? Or more importantly did anyone damage their professional future. We will break down every player performance and did they meet the expectations laid out before them.   It was a spectacular sight on the turf at the Woody Hayes Athletic Facility. Both NFL Network and ESPN were broadcasting live during the duration of Pro Day, while BTN televised most of the drill work from their elevated position on the catwalk. What effect did it have on player performance and is the biggest event in OSU history?   Week One of Spring Ball is in the books. With two practices officially under their belts, what has stuck out during this brief period?   Topics:   OSU Pro Day Review   Spring Ball Week 1 Recap

Pro Day is always an eventful experience and it is especially true this year at OSU. With the 2016 OSU draft class poised to potentially break the 1st Rounders and the total players drafted records, it is a safe assumption to say the Woody Hayes will be packed with scouts. More than just scouts, there will be a plethora of GM’s and Head Coaches in attendance to get a first hand account of what players could be sculpting the future of their respective franchise. There will be stress for the players, but who needs a strong performance coming on the heels of the combine? What drills will require their best performance? Every Buckeye has a different game plan.   Peyton Manning retired from the NFL. He started his NFL career before I began at OSU and finished after I was done. His impact on the NFL could not be understated and I will tell you why.   Topics:   OSU Pro Day Preview   Who needs to right their combine wrongs?   Peyton Manning’s legacy

The NFL Combine is the first major test of every future NFLer. The experience will differ for every player depending on position and prospective draft status. However, one thing remains constant; the long stressful days that lead to sleep deprived nights. It’s a test that can challenge even the most mentally tough men. More than the physical on field testing, it is the evening interviews that challenge players the most. Tough, invasive questions will force a player out of his comfort zone and into a land where he must react to the most inappropriate personal attacks. The reaction is what coaches and front office personal are looking for from players. Can he handle tough coaching and hostile road environments? They want to find out. Take a look behind the scenes in this episode of According to Carp.   Topics:   Combine stories   Players falling in Pools   Uncomfortable Questions

Recruiting can be a tough business and Jake Ballard knows it the story all to well. It would be easy to assume a successful player like Jake had an early offer from OSU. What I found out might shock you. His road to Ohio State was far from perfect, but it’s safe to say he made the right decision. The decision eventually led him to the New York Giants and even after a long successful tenure with the Buckeyes, he was back at square one in the NFL.   The NFL transition wasn’t smooth for Jake and there were many hurdles along the way. The life of an undrafted free agent isn’t a glorious one. A camp injury almost derailed his dreams, but Jake fought to keep them alive and became a Super Bowl Champion.     Topics:   The Recruiting Process   Back to Back National Championship Losses   Rose Bowl Champions   Super Bowl Champions

James Laurinaitis’s journey to Ohio State was as unusual as they come. The son of a professional wrestler, “The Animal” was a legendary member of the Legion of Doom. Joe, his father, raised him in the Land of 10,000 Lakes, where hockey, not football dominated the sports landscape. James’s hockey skills were so legendary, that had he chose hockey, many of his coaches thought he would be a 2nd or 3rd round NHL draft pick.   James instead elected to focus on football and became the hidden gem of the 2005 recruiting class. Doc Tressel, brother of Jim, was credited with his discovery and Luke Fickell was the position coach who sealed his commitment. He was forced into duty his freshman year against Michigan and the rest was history. 3 All American nods and a Butkus Award later, the kid from the Twin Cities had etched his own line at Linebacker U. Find out his thoughts on his time with Coach Tressel? How he developed into the player he became? Did Cam Newton handle the Super Bowl Press conference the right way? All

 The Denver Broncos pulled the only of the biggest upsets in Super Bowl history. A 6 point underdog found a way to win by double digits. It was a sloppy game, filled with penalties, turnovers, and offensive miscues. The seemingly unflappable Cam Newton wasn’t able to carry the offense to victory without any semblance of a rushing attack. The loss wasn’t all on Cam’s shoulders, much of the credit should be given to the Denver defense. Wade Phillips utilized his personal brilliantly. Maximizing the rush of Miller and Ware, while leaning on Roby, Talib, and Harris in coverage; it allowed the Broncos to have a devastating performance. The Gucci Cowboys weighs in on all of it and more on this episode of According to Carp.   Topics:   Super Bowl 50 Breakdown   Buckeye Super Bowl Performances   Peyton Manning’s Next Moves

There are very few offseason sporting to events that rise to the level College Football Signing Day. The first Wednesday in February has nearly risen to the level of a national holiday throughout the college football faithful. It should come as no surprise that most of the teams competing in New Year’s Day Six Bowls finished in the top 25 by nearly every major recruiting agency. The Big Ten has followed up their two solid seasons with 5 teams in the top 25 with OSU and Michigan in the top 10. This bodes extremely well for the future of the conference and we shall find out who filled their needs?   The Super Bowl is quickly approaching and there seems to be a strong public sentiment on who will emerge as the champion. I have been incredibly impressed with Cam Newton’s growth since his rookie campaign. However, even though Cam and the Panthers are nearly a touchdown favorite; I will tell you why and how the Broncos hoist the Lombardi and Peyton will ride off into the sunset.   Topics:   2016 Recruiting Wrap Up

After leaving the state of Florida to attend Ohio State, Jeff Heuerman slowly became a star. It wasn’t necessarily for all of the attention he garnered in the passing game, but rather for his elite blocking skills. He became a captain and a corner stone for the 2014 National Championship and ultimately a 3rd round draft pick on the way to the Super Bowl. However his road wasn’t that simple. The trials of 2011, 2012 and 2013 helped shape the identity and focus of not only the team, but also Jeff. We go inside the intensity of the Buckeyes’ offseason training program and difficulty of the rehabbing a torn ACL during his rookie season. Most importantly I find out why he chose to leave the state of Florida and how he escaped Urban Meyer and the Gators.   Topics:   2014 National Championship   The most talented Buckeye   A rookie season like no other

Playing for a variety of coaching through my NFL tenure has allowed my to gain a unique perspective into many of the NFL matchups throughout the season… None more so than this weekend’s AFC Championship game. After spending three seasons with Wade Phillips and a season with Belichick, I now look at this game in a different light. How do the Pats try slow the Broncos’ running attack? What has Wade Phillips tried against Brady in the past? I’ll let out how I think both coaches will attack their opposing quarterbacks and if it has any chance of success.   As the sun is setting the NFC Championship will be kicking off and it couldn’t feature two more different teams. The Cards want to air it out with Palmer and the bunch, while Cam and Carolina would love low scoring, ugly football game. What happens when these two ideologies collide? Find out on this edition of According to Carp.     Topics:   AFC Championship Game   NFC Championship Game   Manning v. Brady the last hurrah?

Jack Mewhort is a native of Toledo, Ohio, which puts him on the front lines of the greatest rivalry in sports. Jack and I discuss how he came to choose Ohio State over the “Team up North” and who were his main recruiting influences. After arriving at OSU, his career took off after his redshirt season, becoming a starting tackle. However, after the resignation of Jim Tressel, he and his teammates endured one of the most difficult stretches in school history. Three coaches in as many seasons, capped off with 6-7 finish in 2011 and a bowl ban the following season. Jack has been through it all and was able to garner a 2nd round pick from the Indianapolis Colts. What’s it like to protect Andrew Luck? Who is the most talented player he played with at OSU? Find out on this edition of According to Carp.     Topics:   The OSU transition from Tress to Fick to Urban   How tough were the 2011 and 2012?   Comparing Jim Tressel and Urban Meyer   Hitting the Rookie Wall

  The College football season is finally over. For the fourth time in seven years Bama again reins supreme. How were they able to do it? And even though most of the world hates Lane Kiffin, how must credit does he deserve? I thought his play calling was a crucial piece of Alabama’s success and will expand more upon it.   Deshaun Watson is a full grown man. The Vince Young comparisons were abundant on Twitter throughout the course of the game and for good reason. He was almost able to put together one of the great all time performances against the seemingly unbeatable team. How high is his ceiling and should we be surprised by his success?   The WAY TO EARLY Top 25 for 2016 our out. We take a peak inside the rankings and whether they will stand firm come this August? Find out my take on this According to Carp.       Topics:   Alabama v. Clemson Wrap up   How good is Nick Saban?   How important was Lane Kiffin?   The Way to Early Top 25 for 2016

  Once again the Gucci Cowboy himself, Beau Bishop, joins the show from Cleveland. As the dust settles on the College Football season we try to define the 2015 season for the Ohio State Buckeyes. What were his feelings watching the Fiesta Bowl romp that could have been far worse had Joey Bosa not been ejected. What are Zeke Elliot’s NFL prospects and will he end up being the first running back taken in the draft? Raekwon McMillan had some kind words for Defensive Coordinator Luke Fickell after the game via Instagram. How will the arrival of new Co-Coordinator Greg Schiano affect the dynamics within the defense room and does Beau like the hire?   The College Football Playoff powers that be forced us to consume the semifinals on New Year’s Eve. We discuss how that wrecked the whole feeling of the New Year’s Day games. Why did they do it? Beau will tell you his thoughts.   Cleveland is a mess and the Browns are firing coaches like most people change socks. How does Jimmy Haslam plan to succeed? Who will take the

We are in the thick of College Football Bowl season and New Year’s Day is quickly approaching. That means the biggest games of the college football season will be commencing with the “New Year’s Six” Bowl games. Two national semi finals in the Cotton (Michigan State v. Alabama) and Orange (Oklahoma v. Clemson) will take center stage on New Year’s Eve. A development I strongly dislike, but that’s when they will be played and I can’t change it. We talk the Peach, Rose, Sugar…. And of course the Fiesta. With the classic matchup between Ohio State and Notre Dame looming, which team will be more motivated after having their National Title hopes destroyed. What are strengths of Notre Dame? How can Ohio State neutralize their offensive speed? Find out.   Watching Johnny Manziel the last few games of the season has me rethinking my evaluation of him. Can he be a top tier NFL? I still don’t believe so, but there is another QB in his draft class that has fairly comparable skills, and it is leading his team to the playo

New Albany native Darron Lee played quarterback his entire football career, but when OSU Linebacker coach Luke Fickell came calling, he decided he would be able to switch positions. Darren and I discuss his redshirt year in 2013 and how tough the transition was for a skinny athletic kid to come in and play the type of physically demanding football it takes to earn your keep as a member of the Silver Bullet defense. He talks about the difficulties many of the young players faced during the 2014 season. After suffering difficult loss early to Virginia Tech, Darren discusses how the night game in Happy Valley defined both JT Barrett as a starter and the 2014 OSU squad as a whole.   Topics:   Ohio State 2013-2015   How tough it was for a RS Freshman to play   Playing with other terrific linebackers in Josh Perry and Raekwon McMillan   How the tough it was to redshirt during the 2013 season

Ohio State Linebacker Josh Perry joins the show to discuss his time at Ohio State. Not just the good times, but also the bad. How a Big Ten Championship and Orange Bowl loss in 2013 helped catapult the 2014 team to the 1st Undisputed National Title in College Football history. We discuss his recruitment and development as a Buckeye and how he transformed from a “soft suburban kid” into a three-year starter, captain and All Big Ten Linebacker. It is a remarkable conversation from a kid who I didn’t know if he would last a season at OSU, let alone need a trophy case for his awards.   Out of all of the great players on OSU’s roster, find out who Josh Perry thinks is the best and what it has been like to play for Coach Meyer. We also share stories about Coach Fickell and how vital he has been to the defense.   Topics:   Ohio State 2012-2015   The most talented Buckeye as per Josh Perry   Playing with other terrific linebacker in Darren Lee and Raekwon McMillan   How the defeats in 2013 made 2014 a possibility