Skull Session: Ryan Day Says Ohio State Needs $13 Million in NIL Money, Michigan Has No NIL Plan, and Hero Kanu Wants Food Recommendations

Happy Friday, everybody. You made it. The weekend is here.

Word of the Day: Canard.

 $13 MILLION. That's the magic number Ryan Day believes Ohio State needs in NIL money to keep its roster together.

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Speaking to about 100 members of the Columbus business community on Thursday morning, Ohio State football coach Ryan Day put a Name, Image and Likeness price tag on what he believes it will take to keep the Ohio State football roster together.

That rate? $13 million.

...

Day said the Buckeyes have been gathering information by talking to recruits and their families and getting a sense of what other schools might be discussing with NIL deals. He said he believes right now top-shelf quarterbacks require $2 million in NIL money. Major offensive tackles and edge rushers he said are about $1 million.

If you can’t match that, other teams might have a chance to pluck key players from your roster. Day told the assembled potential NIL donors that every player on the team could go in the transfer portal when this season ends, and then field calls from other schools who might be offering NIL deals. Players may feel they have to take that money to help their families.

Unless Ohio State can offer enough to keep them here.

“One phone call, and they’re out the door,” Day said. “We cannot let that happen at Ohio State. I’m not trying to sound the alarm, I’m just trying to be transparent about what we’re dealing with.”

Super candid, super clear, super specific. I appreciate it.

And it seems like his numbers are pretty spot on.

The numbers Ryan Day cites in here mirror what we've been hearing:

"Top-shelf quarterbacks require $2 million in NIL money. Major offensive tackles and edge rushers he said are about $1 million." https://t.co/rC7fyoJW5G

— Stewart Mandel (@slmandel) June 2, 2022

To be clear, this isn't a matter of just dropping McDonald's bags of cash to land recruits – Day and Gene Smith were both pretty clear that Ohio State had no intention of getting into the world of straight payments for commitments.

But brand endorsements, autograph signings, camps, guest appearances, and promoting businesses – that's where the money is going to come from. And with the number of local business partners eager to do business with the Buckeyes, that seems entirely realistic.

 MEANWHILE, AT MICHIGAN... In a nearly poetic juxtaposition, at nearly the same time Ryan Day gave an extremely thorough response to NIL which even included a specific dollar amount he felt the team needed to compete, Jim Harbaugh tackled pretty much the same question and basically said "we're not doing all that."

Jim Harbaugh on NIL:

"Our philosophy is that coming to the University of Michigan is going to be a transformational experience rather than a transactional experience."

— Alejandro Ziga (@ByAZuniga) June 2, 2022

Kinda seems like the wrong thing to say publicly when your biggest rival (who frankly has been burying you in the recruiting game for the past two decades) is openly saying "hey, we need NIL money to stay competitive."

To be clear, that's a fine stance and philosophy, and it's probably one that Day and Ohio State share to a point.

But if *that* is your only plan for dealing with NIL, the future of college football is not going to be kind to your team. Granted, he's probably used to that.

 NEED FOOD. Crazy and shallow as it sounds, eating is one of the most important and memorable things a student will do during their time in college.

When you think of your college experience, everyone gets nostalgic about a few things – their first dorm, apartment, favorite bars, the area of campus they used to frequent. And then the food they used to eat.

That in mind, new Ohio State defensive lineman Hero Kanu has a very important question that I don't want you to take lightly.

What is a good place to get dinner here in Columbus?
Any recommendations?

— Hero Kanu (@HeroKanu) June 2, 2022

Obviously, there's Arby's – widely considered the best restaurant in Columbus.

Outside of that, there's Apollo's, Adriatico's, and Tai's. P.J.'s is certainly an... experience. Unfortunately, a lot of local places have been decimated in recent years in favor of some soulless chains. But there's still good food to be found.

The real strategy here is to grab a copy of The Saver magazine next time you see one, and flip through. My RA my freshman year was smart enough to simply disassemble the entire magazine and staple the pages to the wall in the hall of our dorm. Absolute pro move and I am eternally grateful. Thank you, Megan.

 ANOTHER ONE. Kevin McGuff has played the transfer portal game extremely well as of late, and it looks like he's doing it again as the Buckeyes have landed transfer forward Eboni Walker from Syracuse.

Peep the Instagram Post . @OhioStateWBB #Committed pic.twitter.com/7uJ17FS8S1

— Eboni Walker (@_eboniwalker) June 2, 2022

In her career, Walker has averaged 6.6 points and 4.8 rebounds per game, playing an average of just over 20 minutes per contest.

She'll likely be a role player much like Tanaya Beacham was last year, but her minutes were absolutely vital to the Buckeyes during their NCAA Tournament run last season. Someone will have to fill that void.

 SONG OF THE DAY. "Are You Bored Yet?" by Wallows.

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