By Terry Pluto (Cleveland.com) -- If you are an Ohio State fan, you should be angry today -- not at the NCAA, but at athletic director Gene Smith and the school's athletic administration. The NCAA finally issued its penalties for eight players taking thousands of dollars worth of tattoos and cash along with former coach Jim Tressel misleading the NCAA about using ineligible players. The mortal sin belonged to Tressel, who failed to report the NCAA violations to his ... Read More

By Pat Brennan and Michael Periatt (TheLantern. com) -- The NCAA Committee on Infractions has handed the Ohio State football program a one-year postseason ban and slashed a total of nine scholarships over three years due to multiple violations dating back to December 2010. The postseason ban is effective following the 2012 regular season. As a result of the ban, OSU willl not be eligible to play in the 2012 Big Ten Football Championship Game. OSU will still participate as scheduled in the Gator Bowl against ... Read More

By John Kampf (News-Herald.com) -- COLUMBUS — Urban Meyer is keeping it simple. "The formula for success is real easy," said Meyer on Tuesday, while meeting with a small group of Ohio State football beat writers. "You go recruit really good players who are tough, compete and have character. Then you go surround them with the best coaches in college football. That's the formula."It's the execution of the formula that is difficult." A few weeks into the job, Meyer ... Read More

By: AP via ESPN.com -- COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Urban Meyer came into the Ohio State job with his eyes wide open about what Buckeyes fans demand from their new coach. "Win it all," he said of the expectations. He's done that twice, capturing two national championships at Florida before coming to Ohio State on Nov. 28 to take over a bedraggled program hit by suspensions, NCAA investigations and major violations that could lead to severe penalties. Speaking to reporters ... Read More

By Brian Bennett (ESPN.com) -- New Ohio State coach Urban Meyer met with a small group of reporters today in Columbus. Some highlights from what Meyer had to say: Meyer said current assistant coaches Stan Drayton and Taver Johnson will remain on the staff, along with Luke Fickell. He hasn't yet decided on linebackers coach Mike Vrabel. Meyer said he would announce his full staff on Jan. 3, one day after the TaxSlayer.com Gator Bowl. Meyer said he didn't understand ... Read More

By Jeffrey Bathe (BleacherReport.com) -- The Big Ten got 10 bowl bids this season, matching the most ever received by a conference in one season. Unfortunately, like the Big East last March Madness, more bids does not mean that the conference will thrive. While having the most bids is an impressive feat, there are four reasons why the conference ended up with the most embarrassing bowl season on record.   Bottom Half of the Conference In a bowl era where ... Read More

By Brian Bennett (ESPN.com) -- Big changes are coming to Ohio State football. But for now, the players are trying to focus on just one thing: playing another game. The Buckeyes are in the midst of bowl practices for the TaxSlayer.com Gator Bowl matchup against Florida. They're working under the coaching staff that led them this season, while knowing that Urban Meyer will be taking over after the bowl game. Meyer has been concentrating on recruiting, so the ... Read More

By Doug Lesmerises (Cleveland Plain Dealer) -- COLUMBUS - Ohio State's Luke Fickell has interviewed for the head coaching job at Pitt, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported today. Fickell was the Buckeyes' head coach during their 6-6 season this year and in continuing to lead the team through its Gator Bowl preparations and will coach the Buckeyes in their game against Florida on Jan. 2. New head coach Urban Meyer is recruiting, and after the bowl he will take over ... Read More

By John Kampf (News-Herald.com) -- COLUMBUS — The pressure is off at the Woody Hayes Athletic Center. No more wondering about the future. No more walking on egg shells. No more gloom-and-doom attitudes hanging over the program. As Ohio State prepares for a Jan. 2 appearance in the Gator Bowl against Florida, players on Thursday said there is a different aura around the football program, which felt like it was under a dark cloud for the lion's share of 2011. An ... Read More

BY MATT MARKEY (ToledoBlade.com) -- COLUMBUS — When Urban Meyer raised his arms and flexed for a moment in front of the cameras at the news conference announcing he would be the head football coach at Ohio State, he was playfully reacting to a tsunami of emails and letters he had received urging him to take the job. Meyer’s Mr. Universe pose was done in jest, but he might as well have been sending a message to the ... Read More