Skull Session: Trey Sermon’s 2020 Big Ten Championship Performance Was Insane, the Weather in Evanston on Saturday Doesn't Look Great and Chase Young is Back

By Chase Brown on November 3, 2022 at 5:00 am
Trey Sermon
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Folks, let's talk about J.T. Tuimoloau's Penn State performance some more.

Actually, how about we let him tell his story?

Let's have a good Thursday, shall we?

 A GOOD SERMON. It’s already Thursday of Northwestern week, and I haven't even discussed Trey Sermon’s unfathomable performance against the Wildcats in the 2020 Big Ten Championship Game – the last time Ohio State and Northwestern played on the gridiron. Shame on me!

Better late than never, I guess. Here are some clips from the outing that put Sermon in the Ohio State record books for most rushing yards in a single game with 331. He also added two touchdowns on a total of 29 carries.

Without Sermon's legendary performance, the Buckeyes' chances of defeating the Wildcats in Indianapolis that year would have been bleak.

Justin Fields was not his usual self that day and ended the game 12-of-27 passing for 114 yards and two interceptions, and the offense looked stale, so Ohio State needed all of Sermon's 331 yards and two scores to come out with a victory against the Fighting Fitzgeralds.

Ohio State shouldn’t need any Captain America-like heroics from a player on Saturday as it enters the matchup with the 1-7 Wildcats as 38.5-point favorites. Instead of counting down the clock wondering if the Buckeyes will win, we will wonder when they will hop on the plane to come home after a blowout victory.

Wait – hold that thought.

 OPE. Perhaps I should temper my expectations for an Ohio State blowout this weekend. As Tony Gerdeman of Buckeye Huddle pointed out on Wednesday, the weather may make running up the score challenging for Ryan Day and Co.

Keyword: may.

Usually, lots of rain and wind would make for a bad brand of football. But by golly, lots of rain and wind is Big Ten football. If the weather forecast holds, Day must channel the all-powerful Jim Tressel, run the football and shove it down the Wildcats' throats.

C.J. Stroud is plenty talented and can throw through the rain. He proved that last year against Minnesota and Indiana on the road, and he will prove it again Saturday. However, I want to see the Buckeyes get the run game in order, establishing it early with TreVeyon Henderson and Miyan Williams. Once the game is out of reach and the margin for error increases, Stroud can dice up the Northwestern defense like there's no tomorrow.

 HE'S BACK. Less than one year after he suffered a torn ACL in Washington's Week 10 game last season, Chase Young will return to action for the Commanders against the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday.

Young had been on the Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) List all season. Still, earlier this week, Washington head coach Ron Rivera delivered the news to the 2020 NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year that he was cleared to play this weekend, something Young was very excited to learn.

“He was fired up,” Rivera said of his conversation telling Young he could play on Sunday. “He was really ready to go. He had this look like, ‘Alright, I'm ready.’”

Young's teammates were also excited about his return and celebrated his arrival to practice on Wednesday.

Rivera said the Commanders would ease Young back into play this week and in the future, so don't expect The Predator quite yet. However, it is fantastic news that the former Buckeye will be back on the football field for the first time in less than 365 days because Buckeye Nation has been deprived of watching his greatness for far too long.

And in case you forgot how dominant Young can be...

 BRUGLER’S BEST. Dane Brugler of The Athletic updated his top 50 draft-eligible prospects in college football on Wednesday for the first time since August, and the Buckeyes did a lot of moving – some in the wrong direction and some in the right.

Of the 50 prospects, Stroud, Paris Johnson Jr., Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Zach Harrison and Dawand Jones were featured. Here is where Brugler ranked those Buckeyes and what he had to say about each of them:

No. 10: C.J. Stroud

Stroud is the No. 2 quarterback in the draft class behind Alabama's Bryce Young. He was initially the No. 1 signal-caller and No. 3 overall prospect in Brugler's preseason rankings.

Quarterbacks in today’s NFL can’t just be passers. They also have to be creators. When everything is on time and stays structured, C.J. Stroud has impressive pacing and accuracy to carve up defenses (his fourth-quarter toss to Emeka Egbuka last Saturday was gorgeous).

However, my concerns with Stroud entering the season have been highlighted the last two weeks against Iowa and Penn State. The stats have looked nice, but he has been inconsistent negotiating pressure and doesn’t look nearly as comfortable outside of structure.

No. 11: Paris Johnson Jr.

Johnson is the No. 3 offensive tackle behind Penn State's Olu Fahanu and Northwestern's Peter Skoronski. He was previously ranked as the No. 2 tackle and No. 18 overall prospect two months ago, so Johnson experienced a bump in the overall rankings.

After starting at right guard last season, Paris Johnson Jr., has moved to his more natural left tackle position in 2022 and thrived. He keeps his feet underneath him with terrific body control to adjust to pass rushers and protect the pocket. Through eight games this season, Johnson has allowed zero sacks and committed zero penalties.

No. 26: Jaxon Smith-Njigba

Smith-Njigba dropped from the No. 2 wide receiver and No. 17 overall prospect in Brugler's first rankings to the No. 3 pass catcher and No. 26 overall prospect in his latest release. Brugler cited JSN's inability to build off his strong sophomore year as the reason for the fall.

Sidelined by a hamstring injury most of this season, Jaxon Smith-Njigba hasn’t been able to build on a standout sophomore season that saw him lead the Buckeyes in catches. While he is average from a size/speed perspective, Smith-Njigba is a polished route runner with strong tracking skills and instincts after the catch. He will be a slot weapon in the NFL for a long time.

No. 30: Zach Harrison

Folks, Harrison might be a first-round pick when it's all said and done. That's at least what Brugler thinks, as the NFL analyst bumped the Ohio State defensive end up from No. 40 in his first rankings to No. 30 in his most recent one.

Based on freaky measurables alone, Zach Harrison might get into the first round. At 6-6 and 266 pounds, he has 35 3/4-inch arms, 10 1/4-inch hands and will run (at worst) a 4.5 in the 40-yard dash. On top of all that, Harrison is also playing the most impactful football of his career, which is a welcome sight for evaluators.

No. 36: Dawand Jones

The most significant improvement of any Buckeye on Brugler's list came from Jones, who wasn't even featured on the initial top 50 rankings in the preseason. With Thanos' stature and substantial strides in his blocking ability, Brugler anticipates he could rise even further up his list in the future.

The second Ohio State offensive tackle to make the top 50, Dawand Jones is a massive human at 6-8 1/2 and 360 pounds with 36 1/8-inch arms and an 89 1/8-inch wingspan. On his junior-year tape, he struggled with his balance and posture against wide rushers. As a senior, though, Jones has made substantial strides with his control and strike timing mid-slide to counter speed and protect the pocket.

Jones, still just 21 years old, is one of the most unique players in this draft and continues to rise.

Ohio State's six prospects are the most of any college football program in Brugler's rankings. Yes, even higher than Tennesee, Georgia, Alabama and Clemson. I checked on Michigan, too, and the Wolverines only have defensive tackle Mazi Smith in the top 50 as the No. 45 overall prospect.

So while I don't necessarily agree with Brugler's rankings entirely, specifically with Stroud and Smith-Njigba dropping several spots, I would say it’s nice to see so many Buckeyes receiving recognition for their talent.

It's time to finish this season strong – preferably with a national championship – and put these players in the draft so we can start writing about them in Across the Shield. Or, if they want to stay longer, we'd certainly welcome them back, right?

 SONG OF THE DAY. “Run Away to Mars” by TALK.

 CUT TO THE CHASE. What are the 500 best albums? Rolling Stone has an answer... Dan and Tanya Snyder hire firm to explore sale of Commanders... The `Me Space’: Finding small spots at home to call your own... Delta passengers saw smoke filling their plane midair... Marine scientist almost dives into a shark’s mouth in video.

DON'T FORGET: Vote for Ohio State women's ice hockey defenseman Sophie Jaques to win the AAU James E. Sullivan Award (Click here).

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Ohio State Buckeyes safety Lathan Ransom (8) celebrates with cornerback Jordan Hancock (7) after Ransom intercepted a pass in the second half at Ohio Stadium on Saturday, Nov. 9, 2024 in Columbus, Ohio.
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