Skull Session: Gene Smith Talks Massive Future Football Facilities, Walk-On Kicker Saw Huge Gains, and Buckeyes Win Gold

I truly don't have a strong opinion on Gene Smith's disastrous comments about potentially hosting a College Football Playoff game, but they do teach a very important lesson: you don't always have to give an honest, true, and candid response, especially to hypothetical questions.

I mean, there's a solid chance the College Football Playoff doesn't even expand until Gene Smith retires anyway. There's also a real chance the games are never even played on-campus and we never need to have this conversation.

Sometimes a simple "we'll figure that out down the line" works great.

Instead, he got candid and had people across the country and Michigan fans dunking on Ohio State all afternoon. Very cool.

Word of the Day: Presage.

NEW FACILITIES? I've walked through the belly of the Woody Hayes Athletic Center multiple times and I can assure you that the Buckeyes have absolutely world-class facilities. I could comfortably live there for pretty much my entire adult life without really even feeling the need to go outside.

They're great facilities. But at the same time, they aren't the absolute best in the nation or as nice and effective as they could be. And at Ohio State, "not the absolute best" is more than enough reason to consider a change.

"We're looking at and we hired (architect) HOK to do a little study for us with Barton Malow as a partner. The last major renovation was 2005-06. At that time, we had 85 employees in that box and what we've done over the years is we've tried to say OK, in this box, how do we keep upgrading it and making adjustments and so we've done that. But the footprint no longer can service our needs. We're at 127 in the building -- only football. That's athletic trainers, strength coaches, equipment managers. That's the whole support structure. The only thing in that building is football. There's nothing else in there.

"My view is our needs will take us bigger than the square footage we're in. In my view, we'll probably end up with a new building campaign. I think we're 90-some thousand square feet. Now we're probably going to end up needing about 180 to 200k by the time you get done with it. The athletic training room where our athletes go, it's not big enough. I've known that for years. Our equipment room is not big enough. We don't have a laundry room in Woody. They go to the (adjacent) Schumaker."

For what it's worth, 247Sports ranked the top-25 football facilities in the country and the Buckeyes checked in at No. 6, which is a very solid ranking! But when has anyone from Ohio State ever been satisfied with No. 6 in anything?

BIG GAINS. Yesterday, I wrote a brief little thing on all the players' weight changes from the start of the 2021 season to today, highlighted by Jack Sawyer and Andre Turrentine's 20-pound gains.

But I've got to be honest, I buried the lede a little bit. Because the most eye-popping size transformation came the most unlikely of sources: a walk-on kicker.

When freshman kicker Garrison Smith began fall camp in 2021, he was 5-foot-7, weighing 150 pounds. Less than six months later, he's gained 45 pounds and currently sits at 195 on the scales.

I know these are limited to scholarship guys, but I would be absolutely fascinated to see one of those famous before and after photos of Smith, because I guarantee you those 45 pounds are not fat. It would give hope to me and my Gap Kids physique.

WORLD-CLASS. Winning Olympic gold means, in the purest sense, you are literally the best in the world at what you do. A couple of Buckeyes claimed that honor yesterday.

Buckeyes

Congratulations @emmamaltais17, @natspooner5 + Team Canada! #GoBucks | #OlympiansMadeHere pic.twitter.com/yQMwhdKCCI
— Ohio State Women's Hockey (@OhioStateWHKY) February 17, 2022

Now it's time for the current women's hockey team, ranked No. 2 in the country, to bring home some hardware.

3-PEAT LOADING? The Ohio State women's swimming and diving team has won the Big Ten title the past two years.

They're going for the three-peat this year, and they're already off to a strong start.

3-Peat in pursuit!
Good luck women's @OhioStSwimDive at 2022 B1G Championships! #GoBucks pic.twitter.com/O18eW1Zfrm
— Ohio State Buckeyes (@OhioStAthletics) February 16, 2022

Make that two titles for the Buckeyes on Day 1!

Ohio State's 800 FR breaks school-record in a title-winning finish of 6:58.17! #GoBucks | #B1GWSD pic.twitter.com/umHNvxzjAN
— Ohio State Swim/Dive (@OhioStSwimDive) February 17, 2022

Winning – it is good, in my humble opinion.

SONG OF THE DAY. "Super Rad!" by The Aquabats!