Ohio State Football

Ohio State commit Quinn Ewers may enroll at the university a year early, thus forgoing his final year at Southlake Carroll, to take advantage of the NCAA's new guidelines on name, image and likeness.

Yahoo Sports' Pete Thamel reported Ewers is already receiving endorsement offers that he's prohibited from accepting under Texas high school athletic rules. Because of that, the 5-star quarterback recruit is weighing his future.

"I don’t really know, I don’t have a final decision made quite yet," Ewers said. "I’m leaning toward leaving and going up to Ohio, just so I don’t have to deal with UIL stuff and can get comfortable with Ohio and Columbus and start to learn."

The Southlake, Texas, native is the No. 1 overall player in 247Sports' composite rankings for 2022. Thamel explained how he could potentially graduate from high school and become eligible to suit up for the Buckeyes in time to play in the 2021 season.

Getting Ewers one year earlier than expected would be a welcome surprise for OSU, which doesn't have a nailed-on starting quarterback following the departure of Justin Fields. Kyle McCord, C.J. Stroud and Jack Miller were all highly ranked recruits, but none has any meaningful experience at the college level.

Ewers might quickly vault ahead of the pack despite having not had a lot of time to learn the offense and build a rapport with his receivers.

The implications of his decision could also extend far beyond Columbus, Ohio.

Early enrollment is fairly common in college football, with Thamel noting Ewers was already looking toward a move to Ohio State in January. Him expediting the process could set a precedent for other blue-chip prep stars.

Defensive lineman and USC signee Korey Foreman sat atop 247Sports' composite rankings for 2021. Foreman hasn't played a snap for the Trojans yet, but Brett Greenberg of the Tuscaloosa News reported he already signed a deal with Rosenhaus Sports for NIL purposes.

Just as a higher frequency of college stars are sitting out bowl games with an eye toward the NFL draft, high school athletes could decide playing out a senior year simply isn't worth it if a nice windfall is within reach.

Former Ohio State star Terrelle Pryor shared a statement Tuesday on behalf of himself and former teammates who want the NCAA to officially recognize the Buckeyes' 2010 season.

"We are calling for our school records and legacy to be restored so that Buckeye Nation can look at us with the same love and fondness that we've always had for them," the statement read.

The time has come @NCAA @OSU_AD @OhioStAthletics @Channel75live @DPo8 @BOOMHERRON1 #solomonThomas @AdamSchefter we should get our wins back records back and legacy of @JimTressel5 back and not looked past it! NCAA suspended us but let us play in the sugar bowl win vs Arkansas pic.twitter.com/pGpEvJCbx5

— Terrelle Pryor SR (@TerrellePryor) July 13, 2021

Ohio State went 12-1 and won the Sugar Bowl in 2010. However, the school vacated its results from that season after the NCAA determined Pryor and four others received improper benefits.

The NCAA suspended Pryor, Dan Herron, DeVier Posey, Mike Adams and Solomon Thomas for five games each for selling championship collectibles and receiving improper benefits from a tattoo parlor.

Head coach Jim Tressel resigned as well.

After the suspensions were issued, Posey's mother, Julie Posey, chastised the NCAA and argued the organization wasn't providing the players with enough financial support relative to the revenue they were helping to generate.

She was making the argument that others had made for years. The outcry eventually led the NCAA to open the door for college athletes to receive compensation for their name, image and likeness.

If NIL legislation had been around in 2010, then the Buckeyes players would've had an easy option available to collect cash.

The shifting of the NIL tides is also leading to questions about whether the NCAA should rewrite history—again—to nullify punishments that were issued in the past.

The plea from the OSU group follows a similar statement from former USC star Reggie Bush about being recognized as the 2005 Heisman Trophy winner again:

My statement… pic.twitter.com/kbyqXgHncf

— Reggie Bush (@ReggieBush) July 1, 2021

Bush forfeited his Heisman in 2010 after allegations of improper benefits.

The Heisman Trust said July 2 it cannot reinstate him as the winner until the NCAA walks back its decision to vacate USC's 2005 season.

One of the top football prospects in the 2021 class also plans to play basketball for Ohio State.

J.T. Tuimoloau reportedly hopes to join the Buckeyes basketball program after the football season ends, according to Adam Jardy of the Columbus Dispatch. He spent time with men’s basketball coach Chris Holtmann during his official visit and football coach Ryan Day is willing to make it work.

This comes after Tuimoloau announced his commitment to Ohio State on Sunday in a graphic that also featured him in a basketball uniform.

The defensive lineman is considered a 5-star prospect in football and the No. 3 overall player in the 2021 class by 247Sports composite rankings.

At 6'4½", 277 pounds, Tuimoloau has the size to make an immediate impact on the football field while his athleticism could make him an elite pass-rusher for the perennial national title contender. 

Ohio State was the runner-up in the national championship game last season, and the school has proved it can send defensive linemen to the NFL, including recent stars like Chase Young, Nick Bosa and Joey Bosa.

On the basketball court, Tuimoloau could provide added depth for a team that earned a No. 2 seed in the NCAA tournament last season. The Buckeyes could again be a top contender in the Big Ten thanks to the return of E.J. Liddell to go with other young talent.

Tuimoloau has good footwork in the paint and could contribute down low for the Buckeyes:

AAU Boys 2018 Premiere Summer Showcase, Bellevue College 16U Seattle Rotary EYBL 56 E.WA Elite White 48 F 2021 USC Football Recruit Jaylahn Tuimoloau 6’6 PF Rotary EYBL Took over late W/ blks,rebs and sweet jump hook in the paint. @SeattleRotary1 pic.twitter.com/cx0SJUWPqo

— 206HS/NWACScouting (@BillElleby) July 14, 2018

While playing two sports at a high level could be extremely difficult, the Washington native has the tools necessary to pull it off.

Defensive lineman J.T. Tuimoloau, who is ranked first in 247Sports' national class of 2021 rankings, has chosen to attend Ohio State.

Tuimoloau made the announcement on CBS Sports HQ on Sunday. He had four finalists: Ohio State, Oregon, USC and Washington.

Congrats Buckeyes Fans!

The No. 1 player in the 2021 class, 5⭐️ DL @JT_tuimoloau, is headed to Columbus.@OhioStateFB | #GoBuckeyes pic.twitter.com/BPJDyaKGqC

— CBS Sports HQ (@CBSSportsHQ) July 4, 2021

The 6'4½", 277-pound Tuimoloau, who plays for Eastside Catholic in Sammamish, Washington, is part of a stacked defensive lineman class where four of the top five prospects play that position.

He's a two-time Washington 3A state champion who had 64 tackles (15 for a loss) and 11 sacks during his junior year, which saw the Crusaders finish 12-2 overall and avenge a regular-season loss to O'Dea in the state title game. 

Eastside Catholic's 2020 season was moved to the winter and spring of 2021 because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The team went 4-2 over a truncated schedule.

Tuimoloau has garnered much interest from around the country, receiving 24 offers. 

OSU was expected to be the pick, though, as six 247Sports analysts unanimously pegged Tuimoloau going to the Buckeyes.

In the end, that's the school Tuimoloau chose, as Ohio State picks up yet another stud defensive player.

The Buckeyes have been producing elite talent on the defensive side of the ball for years, with examples including two of the top three picks in the 2020 NFL draft in defensive end Chase Young and cornerback Jeff Okudah. San Francisco 49ers edge-rusher Nick Bosa, who was the NFL's 2019 Defensive Rookie of the Year, helped his team reach Super Bowl LIV.

Tuimoloau has a chance to follow the footsteps of past defensive greats and become a top draft pick someday.

Brandon Huffman of 247Sports offered a scouting report and provided grades of nine points on a 10-point scale for versatility, motor, athleticism, explosiveness, strength and size.

He got eights for hand quickness and point of attack, and Huffman compared him to Pittsburgh Steelers defensive end Cameron Heyward:

"Powerful, athletic and nimble, with room to still add significant weight at the next level. Has lined up on the edge, mixing with hand down while also standing up. Elite pass rusher, who can mix a variety of moves with pure strength to shed his blockers.

"Can drop into coverage against running backs, receivers and tight ends and has the athleticism and ball skills to be a force in coverage. Has even played safety. Could be a top tight end prospect if he focused on offense, with natural pass-catching skills, ability to track the ball and high point it and run after the catch.

"Also a high-major basketball player, averaging nearly a double-double in prep career. As he continues to add weight and strength, figures to be among the elite pass-rushers at the next level. Projects as an instant impact Power Five starter and a top-10 overall draft pick."

Heyward, a four-time Pro Bowler and two-time All-Pro, has largely excelled with the Steelers during his 10-year career, which saw him amass 29.0 sacks from 2017 to 2019.

As for Tuimoloau, the two-sport athlete (football and basketball) now heads to Columbus, Ohio, to carve his own path.

Twenty-nine new lawsuits have been filed against Ohio State University stemming from alleged sexual abuse by former team doctor Richard Strauss. 

Per Kantele Franko of the Associated Press, the 29 men suing the school include former athletes in baseball, lacrosse, cheerleading, soccer, football, basketball, gymnastics and fencing. 

The plaintiffs also included non-athletes who received treatment at the student health center where Strauss worked until his retirement in 2005. 

According to Franko, one of the new plaintiffs "alleges Strauss abused him during more than 10 medical exams in the 1980s, starting when he was a 16-year-old high school wrestler whose team competed on the Ohio State campus."

Another lawsuit from a former Buckeyes wrestler alleges that Strauss "fondled him during more than 50 medical visits."

After at least 41 new lawsuits were filed earlier this year against Ohio State University related to alleged abuse by Strauss, Sheridan Hendrix of the Columbus Dispatch noted that brought the total number of plaintiffs up to at least 360 plaintiffs in 23 lawsuits alleging abuse by Strauss and a lack of action by the school amid complaints. 

Ohio State and athletic director Gene Smith have reportedly agreed to a contract extension that will keep him with the university through June 2026 and compensate him over $2 million per year, according to Dan Hope of Eleven Warriors. 

Per that report, "Smith's new contract will pay him $1.58 million in annual base salary—an increase from his previous base salary of $1.1 million—along with $480,000 in annual supplemental compensation for media, promotions and public relations."

He'll also have a number of sport-specific bonuses, including the Ohio State football program winning the Big Ten title ($20,000), reaching the College Football Playoff or a New Year's Six game ($35,000) and reaching the national championship game ($50,000). 

Congratulations boss on your contract extension! Thank you for everything you do for the Buckeyes! Well deserved! #gobucks #4moreyears

— Ryan Day (@ryandaytime) May 19, 2021

And if Ohio State's student-athletes average a GPA of 3.0 or higher, he'll receive a $55,000 bonus, which will increase to $75,000 for a GPA of at least 3.3 and $90,000 for at least a 3.5. 

Smith had been mentioned as a potential candidate to replace Larry Scott as Pac-12 commissioner, though the conference ultimately went with George Kliavkoff, president of entertainment and sports with MGM Resorts International.

Smith has served as the school's athletic director since 2005. Under his watch, the school's athletic department budget has gone from $89.6 million to $223.6 million in 2019, the last year with a full schedule of games and fans in attendance. 

The results on the field and court have also been impressive. The football program has won 10 Big Ten titles in his tenure, a national championship in 2014 and four CFP appearances.

During that same span, the men's basketball team has won five Big Ten regular-season titles, four Big Ten tournament titles and reached two Final Fours, while the women's basketball team has won eight regular-season titles, five conference tournament titles and has reached the Sweet 16 four times under his watch. 

Massage therapist Robyn Bassani denied the allegations she is facing following an investigation into her treatment of Ohio State football players.

On Thursday, Ohio State released a statement saying the State Medical Board of Ohio "investigated an independent massage therapist who engaged in inappropriate and exploitative behavior targeting members of the Ohio State football team." The statement said the medical board had revoked Bassani's license permanently.

The school launched an independent investigation through Barnes & Thornburg. That investigation determined "no university or athletic department staff had knowledge of the massage therapist's activities" and that there were no NCAA violations, though the results were shared with the NCAA.

Natasha Anderson of Fox 8 reported the complaint that was filed to the state medical board alleged Bassani, 41, "offered free massages to the members of the football team, used those massages as a means to initiate sexual interactions with some of the student-athletes, and then demanded payment."

Bassani spoke with 10TV in Columbus, Ohio, and said she did have sexual relationships with players but that she did not initiate them.

"I've read several reports that I targeted them for sexual gratification, that I approached them, manipulated them," she said.

"They're college kids. First of all, I wouldn't need to manipulate them with a massage. Secondly, I work with professional athletes in the Cleveland area—this is what I do, not sexual misconduct. Not sexual innuendos. It's blown wildly out of proportion, to keep the university's hands clean."

Adam Jardy of the Columbus Dispatch noted Bassani also spoke to Cleveland's 100.7 WMMS and said she had sexual relations with two players and not five, which was the number in the school's report.

She also said she surrendered her license in March after 12 years as a professional masseuse because she believed that would help the situation disappear:

I was told by the investigator for the Ohio State Board that if I didn't [surrender my license], then I would be subject to a citation and then a hearing in which the players would be individually subpoenaed to testify in open public record. Not wanting to put them through that, I said, 'OK, I’ll surrender it.'

[They] had assured me if I do this quietly and quickly then I could spare them the scandal or public embarrassment and I did. Obviously, that was a lie.

The investigators from Barnes & Thornburg spoke to 117 former and current players, 44 coaches and staff members, and Bassani.

Ohio State University has taken action against an independent massage therapist who an investigation found took part in "exploitative behavior" against members of the football team, the school announced in a statement Thursday:

Ohio State released a statement outlining an investigation into an independent massage therapist who engaged in inappropriate behavior targeting members of the football team. Full release is below. pic.twitter.com/hXtibKzVdM

— Tom VanHaaren (@TomVH) May 13, 2021

The State Medical Board of Ohio investigated the therapist "who engaged in inappropriate and exploitative behavior targeting members of the Ohio State football team" and had her license permanently revoked.

The school also banned her from campus, as well as any other locations where students are living.

According to Natasha Anderson of Fox 8, the independent investigation found that the woman offered free massages to initiate consensual sexual interactions with football student-athletes before later demanding payment. These actions took place between 2018 and 2021 in off-campus housing or in hotels.

Ohio State hired the Barnes & Thornburg law firm to conduct an investigation after an initial complaint in March 2020, per Bill Rabinowitz of Buckeye Extra.

The investigation, which was delayed a year until March 2021, reportedly included interviews with 117 current and former players plus 44 staff members. The findings determined 20 received non-sexual massages while five had consensual sex with the therapist.

"Ohio State does not believe the massage therapist’s actions trigger NCAA rules or form the basis for NCAA violations," the school added in its statement.

The Ohio State University and fashion designer Marc Jacobs, who have fought over the usage of the "THE" trademark, reached an agreement in which each side can use it pending United States Patent and Trademark Office approval.

Erin Snodgrass of Insider provided more information: "The two groups filed a Consent to Register Agreement Friday and have agreed to suspend opposition proceedings while they await further rulings from the Patent and Trademark Office."

Rick Van Brimmer, Ohio State's assistant vice president for trademark licensing services, spoke with Mark Williams of the Columbus Dispatch.

"We were not trying to get exclusive right to 'THE.' ... This thing is mostly about they're staying in their lane and we're staying our lane. They're high-end apparel and accessories. We're athletic-related, mostly leisure-wear items," Van Brimmer said. He also said the agreement was a "desired outcome."

The fight over "THE" began in 2019. Josh Gerben of Gerben Intellectual Property tweeted in August 2019 that Ohio State filed a trademark application with the Patent and Trademark Office for the word "THE":

The Ohio State University has filed a trademark application on the word "THE."

The filing, made on August 8th, indicates #OhioState is offering a brand of "THE" clothing.

Not sure how 'The U' will feel about this one.

My analysis 👇:#BuckeyeNation #MiamiHurricanes pic.twitter.com/1UvLOAOnIc

— Josh Gerben (@JoshGerben) August 13, 2019

Eric Heisig of Cleveland.com reported in March 2020 that OSU asked the office to reconsider a September 2019 decision in which it rejected the school's attempt to trademark "THE."

"The university's statement called their new filing a 'defensive action' in response to Jacobs' own appeal and said his planned use of 'THE' on a shirt encroaches on how OSU uses it," Heisig wrote.

Gerben noted in March that OSU had a pending trademark application:

The Ohio State University's trademark application for "THE" is still pending at the USPTO.

It has been initially blocked by an application for "THE" filed by clothing maker Marc Jacobs.#OralRoberts pic.twitter.com/TheJbLRyXP

— Josh Gerben (@JoshGerben) March 20, 2021

On Friday, he said OSU had filed a "notice of opposition" to Jacobs' application on the grounds that the school owned "THE":

Ohio State University and Marc Jacobs are now in a legal battle over who owns trademark rights in the word "THE."@OhioState filed a 'Notice of Opposition' to block Marc Jacobs' trademark filing for the word "THE", claiming that the University is the rightful owner.#OhioState pic.twitter.com/N0HeB0w89U

— Josh Gerben (@JoshGerben) April 23, 2021

Ben Johnson, an OSU spokesman, then told Gerben the school and Jacobs had reached an agreement. The sides will await word from the United States Patent and Trademark Office.

The Ohio State Buckeyes held their intra-squad spring game on Saturday, with Team Brutus taking on Team Buckeye. The scrimmage didn't feature live tackling and had a controlled second half, but football is back in full swing in Columbus nonetheless, and the game had almost 20,000 fans in attendance. 

A number of young players made a nice impact Saturday, including freshman receivers Emeka Egbuka (seven catches) and Marvin Harrison Jr. (touchdown reception), the son of NFL Hall of Famer Marvin Harrison. 

🙌 @CJ7STROUD ➡️ @MarvHarrisonJr #GoBuckeyes pic.twitter.com/V5V7x5KUF3

— Ohio State Football (@OhioStateFB) April 17, 2021

Ohio State and a loaded group of talented wideouts, name a more iconic duo. 

As for the quarterback competition, here's how Ohio State's three freshmen looked (stats via the Big Ten Network broadcast):

• C.J. Stroud: 16-of-22 for 185 yards and two scores.
• Jack Miller III: 17-of-30 for 128 yards and an interception.
• Kyle McCord: 12-of-17 for 184 yards and two touchdowns.

Ohio State's quarterback competition is arguably the biggest storyline of its 2021 season, and Stroud looks like the frontrunner to replace the NFL-bound Justin Fields. But we're still a long way from the start of the regular season in early September. 

"This is just another piece to the puzzle. We're not gonna know who the starting quarterback is coming out of today." pic.twitter.com/t8UkQKXb4c

— Ohio State on BTN (@OhioStateOnBTN) April 17, 2021

All three had nice moments in the contest, with Stroud and McCord finding the end zone. 

You know how it goes 💁‍♂️ @jaxon_smith1#GoBuckeyes pic.twitter.com/XyyaFTtBYx

— Ohio State Football (@OhioStateFB) April 17, 2021

Veterans like wideout Garrett Wilson and cornerback Ryan Watts also had standout moments:

Circus catches for @GarrettWilson_V ain’t hard, but you already know that.#GoBuckeyes pic.twitter.com/kcbE0GTNkn

— Ohio State Football (@OhioStateFB) April 17, 2021

.@theryanwatts taking what’s his 😤#GoBuckeyes pic.twitter.com/V08gyHFNoT

— Ohio State Football (@OhioStateFB) April 17, 2021

Defensive lineman Jack Sawyer also had an impressive showing, with a number of "sacks" in the contest (he only had to get a hand on the quarterback to register a sack, but he consistently generated pressure regardless). 

While it's hard to glean too much information from the spring game, there's no doubt Ohio State returns a ton of talent from last season's national title runners-up, but losing Fields casts a huge question mark over the quarterback position. 

Following a 5-yard touchdown pass to Chris Olave, C.J. Stroud is now 11-15 for 127 yards and two touchdowns today.

He was already viewed as the frontrunner to start at quarterback going into today, and that hasn't changed yet.

— Dan Hope (@Dan_Hope) April 17, 2021

I know this is just a spring game ... but C.J. Stroud has had the edge throughout camp, and I think it's pretty clear he's going to be the starting quarterback for Ohio State.

— Austin Ward (@AWardSports) April 17, 2021

Stroud looked good on Saturday, and he appears to be in pole position to be under center at the start of the season. But again, September is still a little less than five months away. A lot can change over the summer. 

The hope in Columbus, one way or another, is that one of the school's young quarterbacks will seize the starting gig and hit the ground running.