Bucknuts Morning 5: An Ohio State athletics podcast

After talking about it for months, Friday Night Lights has finally arrived.

All right, it doesn't start until 6 p.m., but play along.

The People's Champ, Matt Baxendell, joins Dave Biddle to talk all things FNL, plus:

* What is the latest with Emory Jones?

* What is the latest with Jackson Carman and Micah Parsons?

* What exactly did Hugh Freeze do to get fired at Ole Miss? And are we surprised?

That and more on the Friday spectacular.

On the eve of a huge recruiting event in Columbus, we bring in 247Sports Director of Recruiting Steve Wiltfong to set the Friday Night Lights stage.

Why is Ohio State so lucky to have Urban Meyer?

Wiltfong dives deep on Meyer's approach and why he is more than just a finisher. Also, the latest inside info on the following FNL expected attendees:

* Emory Jones

* Tommy Togiai

* Jackson Carman

* Jayon Oweh

All that and more is a click away ... spend 5ish (like 17, actually) with us this a.m.!

Friday Night Lights is just two days away. What are the biggest storylines entering the event?

Alex Gleitman joins Dave Biddle to discuss that, plus:

* What is the latest with Kamryn Babb, Jackson Carman, Micah Parsons, Doug Nester and Blue Smith?

* What is the scoop on basketball recruit Eric Ayala?

* What about Justin Ahrens?

The 18-minute midweek extravaganza has you covered.

Did Ohio State just add the best player the program ever has at a certain position?

Is Ezekiel Elliott uncontrollable or unlucky?

It's Tuesday. These are important questions. They required expert attention.

So it's no surprise we called on Duane Long for his take on these topics and more.

Start your day with the 5ish!

The No. 1 tight end recruit in the country in the 2018, Jeremy Ruckert, will announce his decision today at 3 p.m. Is he all Buckeye?

The Dean of Ohio State football recruiting, Bill Kurelic, joins Dave Biddle to discuss that, plus:

* Would Ruckert be the highest-ranked TE OSU has landed since Kurelic has been doing this for a living?

* Friday Night Lights is this Friday. Which top recruits are still undecided about attending?

* Of the prospects that will definitely be there, who are the most-important recruits from OSU's standpoint?

* What else do fans need to know about FNL?

How much playing time will backup running backs Demario McCall and J.K. Dobbins receive in 2017?

Will Ohio State use a three-man rotation at safety?

Will the Buckeyes rotate their cornerbacks again this year?

Who are the top-5 OSU quarterbacks from the Jim Tressel and Urban Meyer eras, combined?

Patrick Murphy joins Dave Biddle to answer all of that and more.

It is Thursday, which means it is time for the national director of recruiting for 247Sports, Steve Wiltfong, to drop by and share wisdom on the Bucknuts Morning 5.

Fans get upset when certain recruits -- such a Jaelen Gill -- drop in the rankings. Even if it's a slight drop. Why did Gill drop at all after a strong performance at The Opening, though?

Wiltfong answers that, plus talks about the OSU recruits who saw their ranking skyrocket, such as tight end Jeremy Ruckert and especially running back Master Teague.

Also, what do fans need to watch for the most at Friday Night Lights, which is just eight days away?

Wiltfong joins Dave Biddle to give answers on all of that and more.

Who is the most-important recruit left on Ohio State's board for the 2018 class?

Just to make it more difficult, let's take Jackson Carman, Micah Parsons and Jeremy Ruckert off the table, since all of them are clearly favoring the Buckeyes.

Jonah Booker joins Dave Biddle to discuss that, plus:

* Predict whether OSU will win the Big Ten and advance to the College Football Playoff this season.

* Thoughts on the Buckeyes' offensive line. Does J-Book agree with Duane Long that the right side of the line will be fine?

* What are thoughts on the job Chris Holtmann is doing thus far, including the hiring of Scoonie Penn on Tuesday?

All that and more on the midweek spectacular.

Are you worried about the right side of Ohio State's offensive line heading into the 2017 season?

Well, Duane Long is an O-line guru, and he believes the Buckeyes will be better than expected up front on the right side.

Long joins Dave Biddle to discuss that, plus:

* Thoughts on Billy Price playing center. How good can he be?

* What is the biggest concern for the Buckeyes defensively?

* What can be expected of Chris Worley at middle linebacker.

That and more on the Tuesday extravaganza.

Ohio State's recruiting efforts continue to be extremely impressive, and the next player to join the Buckeyes' 2018 class could be the No. 2 tight end in the country, Jeremy Ruckert.

Alex Gleitman joins Dave Biddle to discuss that, plus:

* Is Michigan struggling in terms of recruiting? The Wolverines are currently ranked 19th in the country per the 247Sports Composite.

* Ohio State's 2017 basketball recruiting class finishing No. 1 in the Big Ten, edging Purdue. Are we not making enough about this?

* How was Musa Jallow able to re-classify to the 2017 class?

All that and more as the 5ish makes its triumphant return.