Buckeyes Beat

Gene Smith will chair men’s basketball committee

By Brian Kollars | Tuesday, June 30, 2009, 11:00 AM

This just in from the NCAA:

INDIANAPOLIS — Gene Smith, associate vice president and athletics director at The Ohio State University, has been appointed chair of the Division I Men’s Basketball Committee for the 2010-11 academic year.

Smith’s term as chair will begin September 1, 2010, following formal approval by the NCAA Division I Championships/Sports Management Cabinet. He will succeed Dan Guerrero, who will chair the committee for the 2009-10 season.

Smith has been the athletics director at Ohio State since 2005 and is in his second year as associate vice president. With 36 varsity sports and nearly 1,000 student-athletes on campus, Smith oversees one of the nation’s largest college athletic programs. Smith, who soon completes his third year on the men’s basketball committee, has a long history of service to intercollegiate athletics, having been a member of the NCAA’s Management Council, the Committee on Infractions, the Executive Committee, the Football Rules Committee, the Baseball Academic Enhancement Task Force and the President’s Commission Liaison Committee.

In addition, he is a member of the Basketball Academic Enhancement Group and has served on USA Basketball’s Finance and Audit Committee, and as president of both the Division I-A Athletics Directors Association and the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA).

“Being a member of the men’s basketball committee is a prestigious honor that comes with incredible responsibility to our membership,” Smith said. “I have the highest possible respect for the colleagues with whom I serve. There is a high level of admiration for the way past chairs have handled keeping with the mission of this committee, and I look forward to the opportunity to continue the important work of this group.”

A native of Cleveland, Smith played football at Notre Dame, where he received a bachelor’s degree in business administration. He was a member of the 1973 national championship team and joined the coaching staff after graduation, helping the Irish to the 1977 national championship. He stayed at Notre Dame until 1981, when he went to work for IBM in a marketing position. Two years later, he returned to collegiate athletics as assistant athletics director at Eastern Michigan University. He was appointed interim AD in 1985 and then was named to the position on a full-time basis one year later.

In 1993 he was named Iowa State University’s director of athletics, a role he held until 2000, when he took the same position at Arizona State University. He remained at ASU for five years before moving on to Ohio State.

“Gene is a thoughtful leader who has tremendous dedication to intercollegiate athletics, knowledge of the game and leadership that will serve this committee well,” said Mike Slive, commissioner of the Southeastern Conference and current chair of the committee. “He leads one of the most successful athletics departments in the country, and his leadership on campus, within the Columbus community and to the Association is extraordinary.”

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OSU opener will kick off at noon

By Brian Kollars | Wednesday, June 24, 2009, 01:49 PM

News from Ohio State football:

COLUMBUS, Ohio - The Ohio State-Navy football game on Saturday, September 5, 2009, at Ohio Stadium will kick off at noon Eastern, the Big Ten Conference has announced.

ESPN will televise that season opener, marking the first time since 1931 that a service academy team has played in the Horseshoe. Ohio State defeated Navy in that 1931 contest 20-0. The last meeting between the schools came in the 1981 Liberty Bowl, with the Buckeyes posting a 31-28 win. Ohio State leads the all-time series with Navy 3-0.

Also …

The Ohio State-Toledo football game on Sept. 19 at Cleveland Browns Stadium will kick off at noon, Toledo officials announced. ESPN-Plus will televise that contest on a regional basis; it will also be available on ESPN GamePlan.

OSU’s 2009 schedule:

Sept. 5, Navy, noon (ESPN) Sept. 12, USC, 8 p.m. (ESPN) Sept. 19, Toledo (in Cleveland), noon (ESPN-Plus) Sept. 26, Illinois, tba Oct. 3, at Indiana, 7 p.m. (BTN) Oct. 10, Wisconsin, tba Oct. 17, at Purdue, tba Oct. 24, Minnesota, noon Oct. 31, New Mexico State, tba Nov. 7, at Penn State, tba Nov. 14, Iowa, tba Nov. 21, at Michigan, tba

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Tressel visiting troops in Middle East

By Brian Kollars | Wednesday, June 3, 2009, 01:40 PM

OHIO STATE football coach Jim Tressel is in the Middle East on an eight-day tour in conjunction with Armed Forces Entertainment.

Ben Laravie with coach Jim Tressel in in Turkey at Incirlik AFB

Tressel is one of several college football coaches, including Texas’ Mack Brown, who are visiting troops in several countries. The tour concludes Thursday.

LINDY’S MAGAZINE has the Buckeyes at No. 8 in its preseason poll. The Sept. 12 showdown against USC will be big. The Trojans check in at No. 4.

The mag picks Ohio State to win the Big Ten, edging out Penn State, Michigan State, Illinois and Wisconsin. If you’re wondering, Michigan is picked to finish seventh.

THE BIG TEN Conference announced today that the Ohio State-Minnesota football game on Oct. 24 will start at noon.

It is the homecoming game for OSU. TV details will be announced at a later date.

OSU’s 2009 schedule:

Sept. 5, Navy, tba Sept. 12, USC, 8 p.m. (ESPN) Sept. 19, Toledo (in Cleveland), tba Sept. 26, Illinois, tba Oct. 3, at Indiana, 7 p.m. (BTN) Oct. 10, Wisconsin, tba Oct. 17, at Purdue, tba Oct. 24, Minnesota, noon Oct. 31, New Mexico State, tba Nov. 7, at Penn State, tba Nov. 14, Iowa, tba Nov. 21, at Michigan, tba

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OSU Spring Game available On Demand

By Brian Kollars | Wednesday, May 6, 2009, 01:36 PM

If you have Time Warner digital cable, you can check out the Ohio State spring football game.

The replay of WBNS’ coverage of the April 25 game is airing on Time Warner Cable Local On Demand Channel 1111.

To watch, tune to Channel 1111, select the Sports category, then the Ohio State tab. Fans can pause and rewind.

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OSU’s Boeckman will try out with Bengals

By Brian Kollars | Monday, April 27, 2009, 02:40 PM

If you’re wondering about Ohio State Buckeyes who didn’t get their names called in the NFL Draft, here is the latest from OSU’s sports information department:

Alex Boone — Signed free-agent deal with 49ers

A.J. Trapasso — Signed free-agent deal with Titans

Todd Boeckman — The St. Henry grad has a tryout with the Bengals on Saturday

Rory Nicol — Has a tryout with the Redskins on Saturday

Brandon Smith — Going to Bears minicamp this weekend on tryout basis

Ben Person — Has a tryout with the Lions on Thursday

Steve Rehring — He’ll try out with the Bengals

Nader Abdallah — He’ll try out with the Jaguars this weekend

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OSU students will hold ‘beach party’ at Spring Game

By Brian Kollars | Wednesday, April 22, 2009, 10:25 AM

If you’re heading over to Columbus on Saturday for the Buckeyes’ Spring Game, expect to see a lot of activity around Ohio Stadium.

Here’s the schedule:

10 a.m.: Gate 32 opens for students. 11 a.m.: OSU men’s lacrosse game vs. Notre Dame. 1:30 p.m.: Spring Football Game.

OSU students will be holding a “beach party” in the south stands, turning them into “South Beach.” Temperatures are expected to be in the 80s.

Festivities will include beach-themed music, games and prizes. Students are being asked to wear beach attire. Hopefully the players will be able to concentrate on the field.

Cost for students is free, $5 for the general public.

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Buckeyes will play Hoosiers in prime time on Big Ten Network

By Brian Kollars | Wednesday, April 15, 2009, 11:02 AM

If you’re an Ohio State football fan planning on making the trip to Indiana this season (thousands do every year), you’ll be able to sleep in.

The Buckeyes and Hoosiers will play at 7 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 3, in Bloomington. The game is one of eight night games this season that will be televised on the Big Ten Network.

OSU and IU haven’t met since 2006 due to the Big Ten scheduling rotation. Indiana hasn’t beaten the Buckeyes since 1988.

Seven of the Big Ten’s teams will participate in a night game on the Big Ten Network. In all, the network will televise approximately 40 games this fall. Start times for other early-season games will be announced at a later date.

Big Ten Network’s 2009 Prime-time Schedule:

Thursday, Sept. 3 Indiana vs. Eastern Kentucky, 8 PM

Saturday, Sept. 5 Wisconsin vs. Northern Illinois, 7 PM

Saturday, Sept. 12 Minnesota vs. Air Force, 7 PM Illinois vs. Illinois State, 7 PM

Saturday, Oct. 3 Indiana vs. Ohio State, 7 PM

Saturday, Oct. 17 Indiana vs. Illinois, 7 PM

Saturday, Oct. 24 Michigan State vs. Iowa, 7 PM

Saturday, Oct. 31 Minnesota vs. Michigan State, 8 PM

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