Bill Smith

Ohio State Buckeyes Add Buffalo Bulls Punter Transfer Tony Venneri

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Tony Venneri

The Ohio State Buckeyes only have one scholarship punter on the roster, but there will be competition this off-season. On Sunday, replacement punter Tony Venneri – who most recently played for the Buffalo Bulls – announced his commitment to the Buckeyes.

Tony Venneri
Tony Venneri

Veneri, who was Buffalo’s starting punter the past two years, averaged an 43.96 yards per punt in 2023, ranking 30th in the FBS in punting average notably -Broke his own single-season school record for average, earning Freshman All-American honors from the FWAA. The 6-foot, 225-pound punter from Hamilton, Ont., brings valuable experience to Ohio State as he enters a three-way race for the starting punting job with his competitors of red shirt freshman Joe McGuire and incoming freshman Nick McLarty , who at the moment is the only scholarship punter on the roster.

With Venneri’s commitment, the Buckeyes are poised to strengthen their special teams unit. As the hard work begins, fans eagerly await the upcoming season, hoping to see Venneri’s booming punts in the scarlet and gray. #GoBuckeyes!… Read more at FryingPanSports

Amaris Williams Considers Flipping Commitment after Ohio State’s Win

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Amaris Williams

In the aftermath of Ohio State’s thrilling victory over Penn State, the Buckeyes find themselves in a promising position to sway an elite defensive line prospect. Meet Amaris Williams, a four-star talent committed to the Florida Gators from Clinton, North Carolina. The win against Penn State didn’t just secure a crucial victory for Ohio State; it also left a lasting impression on recruits like Williams.

Amaris Williams
Amaris Williams

This past weekend, Ohio State welcomed Williams as their sole official visitor. The top 100 Florida commit had the opportunity to immerse himself in the Buckeyes’ program, experiencing firsthand the culture and connecting with the coaching staff. Williams, a standout defensive end from Clinton High School, found his time in Columbus not only enjoyable but also insightful.

All American Bowl

Recently honored as a 2024 All-American in a virtual jersey presentation as part of the Road to the Dome digital series, Williams is no stranger to recognition. Despite his commitment to the University of Florida, the talented defensive lineman is keeping his options open. Ohio State’s vibrant atmosphere and the chance to engage with the coaches seem to have made a significant impact on Williams.

Looking beyond the accolades, Williams … Read more at FryingPanSports

Is Jackson still the Browns head coach because GM Dorsey wants a scapegoat?

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NOTE:  On NNR Samantha Bunten of NBC Sports and I discussed the news of the day and analysis of week 17 on fryingpansports.com/radio-show.

Many in the media and a lot of Browns fans are wondering why Jackson is the head coach with a 1-31 record in the last 2 years.

There is no chance of a trade to the Bengals.  Teams this year have fired coaches with much better records than Jackson’s.  So that is still a HUGE question.

Could the answer be that Dorsey wants a scapegoat if the Browns are not significantly better next season?  As a LONG time Browns fan, I hope that is not the case.  But it is worth thinking about.

That is what I think.  Tell us what you think by commenting here or tweeting me @NNRonDSN.

NOTE:  News, Notes and Rumors podcast are BACK.  Check out our thoughts on Fridays about the games coming up and Monday on the results of the weekend.  My co-host is Samantha Bunten of NBC Sports.  Podcasts can be heard on https://fryingpansports.com/radio-show/. Thanks for your support.

Bill Smith is a former coach of several semi-pro teams, has officiated both football and basketball, done color on radio for college … Read more at FryingPanSports

The Browns front office must go!

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There is a lot of conversation about whether Kizer is franchise QB the team has needed for so long.  He might be exactly what the Browns need at the most important position in the game.  But it is hard to tell when so many throws that are right on target are dropped by a receiver group that is worse than 2 teams I coached in semi-pro football.

The brain-dead people making draft picks have given HC Jackson a team that is green as baby peas.  They let the 1 WR that had 1000+ yards and was new to the WR position go but brought in a guy that could not catch a cold standing naked on the edge of Lake Erie in a sleet storm.  He also has 1 1000 yard season but has been in the league for years.

They also passed up 2 other QBs that could have started the “rebuild” much earlier and given beaten down Browns fans some hope.  If this group made good choices with those extra picks I might agree.  They do not and the proof is the 1 win we have seen in the two years that they have been in control.

If … Read more at FryingPanSports

Top 5 Questions facing the NFC West

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AZ 5Can DT Robert Nkemdiche keep his nose clean for a full season?
4Will RB David Johnson have the kind of season he has last year & play a full season?
3Can AZ find a pass rush after losing DT Campbell?
2Can the D backfield recover from the bad season and losing 3 starters?
1Will QB Carson Palmer stay healthy all season?
LA 5Will the Rams extend the contract of DT Aaron Donald
4Will the new coaching staff get the D to play better? It was lousy last year!
3Can LA find a run game with RB Todd Gurley after a bad 16?
2Can LA rebuild an O line that was terrible last year by adding LT Whitworth (35) & C John Sullivan (31)?
1Will QB Jared Goff ever become a quality starter?
SF 5Can RB Carlos Hyde give SF a solid run game?
4Will SF D be better signing Dumerville, ILB Smith, OLB Watson?
3Can SF find an O line that can pass protect? Does that even matter?
2Did SF do enough for the WR group by signing Garcon, Marquise Goodwin & Aldrick Robinson?
1
… Read more at FryingPanSports

Top 5 questions facing NFC South teams

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AT       5Can the run game become a force to balance the O?
4Can HC Quinn get AT to play more physical FB?
3Can Matt Ryan have another Super Bowl season?
2Can Quinn get the D cover anybody or was the SB game an indcation they are overmatched?
1Can AT mentally  overcome the Super Bowl Loss?
CR      5After a bad 16, can CR get back to the playoffs this year?
4Can the CR run game help balance the O with someone other than Newton carrying the load?
3Will the O line be able to protect Newton better than last year?
2Will the D get back to playoff level play? Pass D was at the bottom of the league last year.
1Can HC Ron Rivera get QB Cam Newton‘s head out of his posterior?
NO      5Did NO do enough to help the pass D by adding CB Marshon Lattimore & S Marcus Williams?
4Will Brees have anyone to throw to with Cook traded?  Michael Thomas, Willie Snead, Brandon Coleman,
3Is this the year that RB Peterson rolls over and plays dead?  MN thought so and let
… Read more at FryingPanSports