Today's Skull Session is brought to you by black pepper. I seriously can't stop putting freshly-ground black pepper on any non-waffle meal I eat. This means I'm 45-year-old man now, right?
CHANGES COMING TO OHIO STADIUM. Ohio Stadium got a facelift this summer, and while the big changes are obvious (more seats), there are some smaller changes as well.
For example: Ohio Stadium will now feature ads on its field goal nets:
A *big* advantage Ohio Stadium has over Michigan Stadium is the number of corporate ads adorning Ohio State's historic footballing cathedral. (Michigan, like the losers they are, don't have any advertising in their stadium.)
In my opinion, a college football arena can never have too many corporate ads. It really fires me up to walk into Ohio Stadium and see the logos of all the corporations trying to pry the last $23 out of my pockets. Honestly, it makes me want to have a kid just so I have somebody with which to share the synergy.
However, I digress. Allow our resident bourbonaire, Ramzy, to explain the origin behind ads on the nets:
Ohio Stadium will have PAT ads this season from Safelite. The reason they've never had them before is that nationwide had the rights to certain parts of the stadium (including netting) which blocked Allstate from doing it — nets are kind of their thing.
Per the agreement the nets must be sold to a central ohio company that also supports ESPN and BTN. And approved by the B1G and Ohio State. I think some people might piss about it but it's a central Ohio company; [it's] subtle and extends to hoops too (not sure what though).
I'm hoping I stay alive long enough to see Huntington Bank's logo seared into the middle of the Horeshoe's turf. The Block O isn't nearly as iconic as as the green and white "H" of our friends (and fellow community members) at Huntington.
But what about the people who truly ruin the game experience? What can be done about those idiots who go to a football game and refuse to sit down during the football!?
Here's the new policy in full. pic.twitter.com/dX9Ac69aVW
— Suz (@OhhSuzannah) September 2, 2014
I'm thinking about attending the Cincinnati game (my first Ohio State game since Pryor fumbled vs. Penn State), and please believe I'll have 69050 set on my speed dial. (I'll snitch on Shelley Meyer if she makes me. It ain't nothin' for me to maintain law and order, two things which I hold very close to my black, apricot-sized heart.)
Because the only thing I hate more than paying to watch a football game and going unmolested by corporate ads is people standing during said football game. Cheering out loud doesn't actually help "the team," you idiots.
People say — between sips of alcohol, which of course I am glad is also banned in the Horseshoe — "but how will we rattle the opposing team's offense?" These people have apparently never been to a funeral. Funerals are just as rattling, and nobody at a funeral feels the need to stand and cheer.
Ohio Stadium could learn a lot from a funeral's atmosphere, if you ask me.
Count me on board with these changes, even if they don't go as far as I'd like.
GENE SMITH IS A FAN OF URBAN AND THAD. I'd rate Ohio State's 2013-14 football and basketball performances as "pretty damn good." It appears Gene Smith would agree.
From Ozone's Eric Seger's Freedom of Information Act request:
"As we move into 2014-15, I need you to continue to focus on the academic initiatives,” Smith wrote in a letter attached to the evaluation. “As you have done, continue to think forwardly and progressively on how we need to be sure our guys are doing their best.”
Smith praised both Meyer and his wife, Shelley — who’s name he misspelled in the note — for their work at the university outside of football.
“The effort to assist Development, be involved in University and Community priorities is greatly appreciated,” Smith wrote in the letter, dated June 3. “You and (Shelley) have done a great job in these areas.”
Hmmmm, yeah, that's probably the route I would go too if I were tasked with critiquing Urban Meyer's job performance. "Uh, yeah, Urban... make sure the kids do grades, or whatever. Send my regards to, uh... uh... to the wife. See ya next year."
Here's Smith on Thad:
“Every contest the team encountered, they had a chance to win. This past season had to be one of your most challenging trying to meld the diversity in talent with certain limitations, and managing outside influences,” Smith said. “Here too, your tactics enabled you to put the team in position to win.”
I'm curious about these "outside influences," because Thad Matta mentioned it in his self-evaluation as well:
"Once again the biggest challenge is combating the outside influences that infiltrate our program,” Matta wrote. “This at times can be debilitating to building team chemistry and unity.”
Neither Smith or Matta clarified this matter of course, but I'm generally intrigued. I guess it's the eternal question: Why are these ambiguous, yet nefarious, "outside influences" haunting my favorite college basketball program?
HOKIES READY TO BRING QUICK OFFENSE TO COLUMBUS. The Ohio State defense must be relieved to not be dealing with the triple option this week. (Shoemaker will be through later today with a piece expounding upon that.) But, it doesn't mean the Virginia Tech offense won't bring challenges of its own to the Shoe.
From Tim May of The Columbus Dispatch:
There was a reason Virginia Tech kept a lid on all of its preseason practices and scrimmages. The Hokies only wish they could have concealed their plans through their opening game.
[...]
Conventional last year with a huddle before most plays and a quarterback taking snaps from under center, the Hokies played a lot faster on offense, mostly without a huddle and with the quarterback in the shotgun, in a 34-9 victory over William & Mary on Saturday.
[...]
“We’re going to keep on going with [the no-huddle, up-tempo offense],” [Virginia Tech coach Frank Beamer] said. “The whole deal is you improve the most from the first game to the second. I’ve been saying that for about 28 years. I believe that, though.”
I welcome a no-huddle, up-tempo battle on Saturday. It's like Chip Kelly says: fans don't pay to watch players stand around in a huddle.
It was tough to gauge the secondary's improvements against Navy because, well, Navy doesn't throw the damn ball.
If it's true teams improve the most from the first to the second game, then I'm looking forward to finding out the true nature of the secondary's progression. Because Ohio State isn't winning anything without a defense capable of making some plays.
PAT NARDUZZI IS A BOSS. Chris Brown, aka @smartfootball, is one of my favorite people for explaining football's X's and O's to an idiot such as myself. (Kyle Jones is gaining quickly on you though, Brown!)
Brown's latest work on Michigan State's Pat Narduzzi — and Michigan State's dynamic defense in an era of dynamic offenses — is no exception.
From Grantland:
Mark Dantonio and Pat Narduzzi have shared a sideline for more than a decade, first at Cincinnati and now at Michigan State, and in the process they’ve forged one of college football’s great coaching pairings. In recent years the head coach and his defensive coordinator won the Big Ten title, returned the Spartans to the promised land of Pasadena, and accomplished something even more exceedingly rare: In the age of the wide-open offense, they’ve built a shutdown college defense.
Along with defending champion Florida State, Michigan State is the only team to rank in the top five in defensive yards per play in each of the last three seasons, and the Spartans finished no. 1 last year while posting a 13-1 record. Even more remarkably, Dantonio and Narduzzi have built one of the best defenses in the sport without the benefit of the kind of blue-chip, future NFL talent that’s commonplace at schools like FSU, LSU, and Alabama.
This Saturday, the MSU defense will face what could be its toughest challenge to date: a road game against the Oregon Ducks, whose entire identity stems from their up-tempo, no-huddle spread offense, and who routinely use a variety of reads, motions, and fakes to incinerate even the most talented defenses. Narduzzi and Dantonio won’t lack an edge of their own, though, thanks to their uniquely simple yet adaptable defensive scheme. Slowing tremendous quarterback Marcus Mariota and the Ducks will be a challenge, but it’s precisely the kind of challenge for which these Spartans were built.
I recommend the piece in full, and honestly, I am looking forward to the day when Pat Narduzzi leaves Mark Dantonio much like Dantonio left the Vest all those moons ago.
I'm also a big, big believer in a great offense beating a great defense nine out of ten times. After reading Brown's piece, I'm much more confident in the Spartans to pull the upset.
The only thing that worries me — and I'm quoting a BTN factoid I overheard yesterday while cooking asparagus, folks — Michigan State hasn't won a true away game in the western time zone since beating Cal in 1957.
Boy, I do not envy President Harding with this one. (You're damn right the nation's 29th, and greatest, president is coming back with both barrels bucking in order to recapture his corners after a summer of being slandered.)
JACK MEWHORT WITH A PUPPY. Because the world is a cold, dark and empty place — and because it's Wednesday — here's a picture of Jack Mewhort with a puppy:
Had a great time today at @IndyHumane it was a privilege to visit with all those great animals! @coltscommunity pic.twitter.com/yMpLi6bDZR
— Jack Mewhort (@jackmewhort) September 3, 2014
I'm a cat-lover myself, but all animals are good. (Yes, even Wolverines; their menacing carcasses make great decorative pieces capable of turning any house into a home.)
THOSE WMDs. Good lord, I think that's illegal, Lauren Holiday... Uber Is Currently Fighting the Battle That Jitneys Lost 100 Years Ago... Northwestern reportedly used wrong wristbands in first half against Cal... Why are colleges so bad at dealing with rape?... Chocolate-dipped glazed donuts stuffed with cookie dough... Criminal #teens are loose in Tennessee... Little doubt I'm #TeamOGRedThunder.
