drives us to continue our strong performance into next week.Speaking ahead of Saturday evenings prelimi

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Last year Ohio States offensive engine was powered mostly by All-American tailback Ezekiel Elliott, and the passing game took a back seat. Coach Urban Meyer wants that to change.The Buckeyes ran the ball nearly two-thirds of the time in 2015, leaning mostly on Elliott, who averaged about 140 yards per game, and quarterbacks J.T. Barrett and Cardale Jones. The 188.8-yards-per-game passing average dropped Ohio States aerial attack to 100th in the nation. It just never got on track.With Elliott gone to the Dallas Cowboys as a first-round draft pick, Meyer said hes seeking more balance between the rushing and passing games. Ideal, he said, would be a 50-50 split. He thinks thats realistic with the 2016 team, which opens the season Saturday against Bowling Green.Well know more obviously Saturday, but we have depth at receiver, Meyer said. We have a returning quarterback that understands what were trying to do.The Buckeyes running game is one of the big questions heading into the season. Redshirt freshman Mike Weber is starting at tailback, and Meyer said H-back Curtis Samuel will also run the ball. Meyer said he wants to see Barrett carry less of the load on the ground after averaging 62 yards rushing per game last season. He said 10 to 12 rushing attempts per game is ideal for the quarterback -- Barrett had at least 15 attempts in each of the last four games last season.Direct quarterback runs, where we call it, five to seven, eight, maybe, depends on the game, Meyer said. And then hes a natural scrambler. When things break down, I think thats one of his strengths. Hes one of those quarterbacks that very rarely takes a sack. Hes always getting that plus yardage.Co-offensive coordinator Ed Warinner said Samuel may be a key to that balance and is likely will touch the ball 10 to 15 times per game.Curtis is a very skilled athlete, a very elite player with the ball in his hands, Warinner said. So were just going to try to find as many ways to use him as possible. I mean he can do great things at wide receiver, he can do great things with the ball in his hands from the running back position.None of the other receivers are proven, although everyone in the program is raving about the potential of wide receiver Noah Brown, who was set to be a starter last year before breaking a leg in training camp. Wide receiver Corey Smith and H-back Dontre Wilson have limited experience, but the other receivers who will play Saturday have yet to catch their first pass.Barrett said the pieces are in place for a more balanced attack.The key, he said, is just getting it out of my hands as fast as I can and getting it to our playmakers and be able to fly around, kind of like we did back in 2014. I think thats the direction were headed. Were still getting some kinks out but Im happy with where its at.BURROWS OUT: Cam Burrows, who was expected to see playing time at safety, is out for the season with a foot injury. Burrows broke the foot and had surgery in October, which led to him being redshirted last season. He saw some playing time in 2013 and 14. Hes going to stay with the team and be a weight room assistant this season.PHENOMENAL FRESHMEN: How young is this Ohio State team? The depth chart released this week includes 17 redshirt and true freshmen, including true freshman Michael Jordan starting at left guard. A freshman hasnt started on the Buckeyes offensive line on opening day since Orlando Pace in 1994. Barrett is eager to see how Jordan responds.I remember in the spring game, it was kind of one of those things where there were 100,000 people, and a saw him look up a couple times and I said, `Yeah, theyre here. Theyre not going away, Barrett said. Relax.---Follow Mitch Stacy at http://twitter.com/mitchstacyFor some of his other recent stories: http://bigstory.ap.org/content/mitch-stacyAnthony Miller Womens Jersey .Y. -- Knicks coach Mike Woodson said Wednesday that J. Gale Sayers Youth Jersey . Oaklands loss to Seattle clinched the ALs best record for the Red Sox with one day to spare in the regular season. "I think everybody was kind of watching," catcher David Ross said. 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He was dismissed by the team last March after the Lightning struggled in the lockout-shortened season with a 13-18-1 record.Sydney will go into the AFL grand final still desperate to atone for their embarrassment at the hands of Greater Western Sydney in week one of the finals, onballer Dan Hannebery says.The Swans booked a spot in the grand final against the Giants or the Western Bulldogs with a blistering 37-point win over Geelong on Friday night at the MCG, having dispatched Adelaide last week in a similarly brutal fashion.Hannebery said the Swans were left seething after being bullied by crosstown rivals GWS in their qualifying final at ANZ Stadium.I think that really burned in us and, to be honest, it still does, he told ABC radios Grandstand program on Saturday.Were still atoning for that embarrassment, I suppose, as a whole group.Thats what really has driven us in the last two weeks and I certainly think theres a bit that still drives us to continue our strong performance into next week.Speaking ahead of Saturday evenings preliminary final between the Giants and Bulldogs at Spotless Stadium, Hannebery said an all-Sydney grand final would be great for AFL in NSW.ddddddddddddBut the Swans didnt care who their opponents were and would focus on maintaining the intensity they had delivered over the past fortnight.Sydneys All-Australian midfield trio of Hannebery, Josh Kennedy and Luke Parker have received strong support in the finals from outstanding youngster Isaac Heeney, who was arguably best on ground against Geelong.Hannebery, who tasted defeat in the 2014 grand final against Hawthorn, said the Swans emerging players would need to continue delivering to ensure the sides taxing brand of high-pressure football stood up.Its certainly a hard style to play week-in, week-out but thats what we aspire to do, he said.Weve done it for a number of years and we know thats what stacks up. 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