Welcome to the Tuesday Skull Session.
If you liked "Top Gun: Maverick," you will be a fan of this video. If you haven't seen the movie, this will be a spoiler. But also, if you haven't seen it, then what the heck are you doing?
Hey, @OhioStateFB, youre welcome.
— UTAHcountyUTE (@realjtl10) December 4, 2022
- @Utah_Football fans pic.twitter.com/RLXnzPsYf6
Let's have a good Tuesday, shall we?
FAREWELL, JSN. ICYMI, or in case you've been on Mars for the last 24 hours, Jaxon Smith-Njigba will not play for Ohio State when the Buckeyes face Georgia in the Peach Bowl for the College Football Playoff semifinal.
The star receiver said he put much thought into the decision, seeking counsel from his doctors and his family, friends and other loved ones. Ultimately, he decided it would be best to opt out of the playoffs, continue rehabbing his injury and train for the 2023 NFL draft.
Love Go bucks pic.twitter.com/VHx8oUKPH4
— JSN (@jaxon_smith1) December 5, 2022
This news puts to rest the season-long question as to whether or not JSN was healthy enough to suit up for the Buckeyes and ends any speculation Ohio State media and fans may have had about the receiver's chances to assist the team on its potential national championship run over the next month.
Above all else, this news is disappointing, but not because Smith-Njigba is quitting or being selfish, as I have seen some claim.
Instead, it's disappointing because JSN never had the chance to repeat his breakout sophomore season in which he scored nine touchdowns and set school records with 95 receptions and 1,606 yards, capped off with a 15-reception, 347-yard and three-score performance against Utah in the Rose Bowl.
After many hours of intense research and struggle, I've come to a conclusion.
— Russell Clay (@RussellJClay) April 4, 2022
Jaxon Smith-Njigba is pretty darn good at football pic.twitter.com/n24zF2tag9
It's disappointing because Ohio State fans never had the chance to see what an offense with C.J. Stroud throwin' darts to a fully healthy Smith-Njigba out wide with Marvin Harrison Jr., Emeka Egbuka and Julian Fleming looked like in 2022.
And it's disappointing that for some reason I cannot explain, Ohio State lost its best player before the season even really begins every four years dating back to 2014.
2014: Braxton Miller
— Ramzy Nasrallah (@ramzy) December 5, 2022
2018: Nick Bosa
2022: JSN
2026: [Ohio State's best player's season ends before it begins]
go away, monkey's paw
As Ramzy said, go away, monkey's paw.
All in all, news of JSN's departure cuts deep, and I wish the announcement on Monday would have been that the preseason All-American was set to suit up for the Buckeyes on New Year's Eve against the top-seeded Bulldogs. He is one of the best receivers and Ohio State history and deserved a better hand than what he was dealt in 2022.
Not every story has a happy ending, I guess. But that doesn't mean there weren't some good chapters along the way. Let's watch some JSN highlights to remind ourselves of the good ol' days, wish good luck to our good friend Jaxon in all of his endeavors and move along with this here Skully.
Thanks for everything, JSN.
SMALLER BEAR, BETTER BEAR? Speaking of Nick Bosa, the former Buckeye is in the middle of a career year as an edge rusher for the San Francisco 49ers.
You would be right to expect production from a Bosa brother, as Nick and Joey are two of the best defensive ends in the NFL year in and year out. However, I am not sure anyone could have expected the downright silly statistics Nick has produced in only his fourth year in the league.
Nick Bosa this season
— CBS Sports (@CBSSports) December 5, 2022
NFL Rank
Sacks 14.5 1st
QB Hits 34 1st
Pressures 62 2nd
Tackles for Loss 15 T-2nd pic.twitter.com/jXtwPGgZzH
The most impressive part about these statistics? Bosa missed 1.5 games with a groin injury earlier this season and has only needed 10.5 appearances in a 49ers uniform to rack up 14.5 sacks, 34 QB hits, 62 pressures and 15 tackles for loss.
Here is how Smaller Bear stacks up with the rest of the NFL in those categories:
Sacks
- Nick Bosa (SF) - 14.5
- Matthew Judon (NE) - 13
- Micah Parsons (DAL) - 12
QB Hits
- Nick Bosa (SF) - 34
- Montez Sweat (WAS) - 24
- Matt Judon (NE) - 24
Tackles For Loss
- Maxx Crosby (OAK) - 17
- Nick Bosa (SF) - 15
- Za'Darius Smith (MIN) - 15
Don't look now, but Bosa is on his way to an NFL Defensive Player of the Year Award if he keeps this pace. If what I've seen from a few national pundits is correct, it may already be a two-person race between him and Micah Parsons of the Dallas Cowboys.
If Bosa won the award, he would accompany former Ohio State linebacker Randy Gradishar as the only Buckeyes to receive the honor, as Gradishar took home the prize in 1978.
Keep killin' it, Smaller Bear. And keep making Buckeye Nation proud. May the rest of the season be healthy and prosperous as you take down the opposing team's quarterback again and again and again.
NIGHTMARE FUEL. Ohio State and Georgia have only met once on the gridiron. It was 29 years ago at the 1993 Citrus Bowl. The Buckeyes lost the matchup, 21-14. However, UGA head coach Kirby Smart's most recent run-in with Ohio State came back in the 2014 CFP semifinal when he was a defensive coordinator for Alabama.
While on a teleconference for the Peach Bowl, Ohio State beat reporter Bill Rabinowitz of the Columbus Dispatch asked Smart to share what he remembers most about the matchup that occurred almost nine years ago.
"Long day. It was a long day," Smart said. "That was Ezekiel Elliott, right?"
"Yep," Rabinowitz replied.
"He shredded what was a pretty talented Alabama defense," Smart said.
What Smart meant to say, though, was that Elliott shredded his pretty talented Alabama defense. And, folks, the word "shredded" might not do Elliott's performance justice. The ever-talented running back carried the ball 20 times for 230 yards and two touchdowns and added one catch for 13 yards in the contest. Let's just say Zeke was well-fed.
Oh, and he went 85 yards Through the Heart of the South.
It wouldn't surprise me if Smart still has nightmares about Zeke's field day against Alabama that year. It's kind of funny to think about, really – a national championship-winning head coach beside himself thinking about a running back taking his defensive game plan and setting it on fire, because that's exactly what Elliott did that year.
While Day wasn't around for Ohio State's national championship run in 2014, he has kept the program's same approach of explosive offensive play. He has also recruited at an extremely high level in the last few seasons and has plenty of weapons at his disposal within the Buckeye offense.
With that in mind, Day should have one goal for New Year's Eve: Create new nightmares for Smart. I can't wait to see if he makes that happen.
A COMMON THEME. Ohio State entered the 2014 College Football Playoff as the No. 4 seed and received a matchup with top-seeded Alabama in the Sugar Bowl.
As mentioned above, the Buckeyes beat the Tide in a game that felt like Elliott rushed for what felt like 1,000 yards and 10 touchdowns. Then, Ohio State boat raced Oregon, 42-20, in the national championship behind another solid outing from Zeke, who rushed for 246 yards and four touchdowns on 36 carries to down the Ducks.
With Ohio State entering this year's CFP as the No. 4 seed again, is it possible the Buckeyes can repeat the success they were able to have nine years ago?
Last time @OhioStateFB was No. 4 pic.twitter.com/ze0POFBYuA
— Ohio State on BTN (@OhioStateOnBTN) December 4, 2022
If they do, that would be a 100% national title efficiency rate for Ohio State as the fourth-seeded team, and therefore means the Buckeyes can only accept No. 4 seeds from this point forward. I don't make the rules. I also won't be accepting questions at this time.
SONG OF THE DAY. "Until I Found You" by Stephen Sanchez.
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