Skull Session: Ohio State Football's Media Team is On Fire, Chris Holtmann Attends a Taylor Swift Concert and Four Buckeyes Could Be Pivotal For a CFP Run

By Chase Brown on August 11, 2023 at 5:00 am
Josh Fryar
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Welcome to the Skull Session.

In Ohio State's safety-driven defense, Jim Knowles needs defensive backs that can fly around the football field. Cam Martinez fits the bill for that.

Let's have a good Friday, shall we?

 LORD HAVE MERCY THERE'S A FIRE. The Ohio State football media team has been on a tear recently. On Sunday, the dudes and dudettes in the Buckeyes' video department provided an inside look at an Ohio State post-practice routine with "Cold Talks." The department released a follow-up to that video on Thursday.

In this video, Ohio State's football players settled the debate on how to pronounce the word "caramel." Is it car-mel or cara-mel?

  1.  Car-mel: 13 votes
  2.  Cara-mel: 9 votes
  3.  Both (?): 1 vote
  4.  *Grunt*: 1 vote

I say car-mel. You can argue with me in the comments.

And in GQ-like fashion, Ohio State released a video that featured Jesse Mirco as he described his "Camp Essentials" for preseason practices. The punter named three items necessary to last from practice No. 1 to practice No. 25 in fall camp.

I love hats (and cases?). I love extra toasty Cheez-Its. I love slides.

I didn't know Mirco was chill like that.

 THE ULTIMATE DAD. Chris Holtmann shot up The Dad Leaderboards™ this week when the Ohio State men's basketball head coach tweeted that he took his daughter, Nora Jane, to Taylor Swift's concert at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles.

Here is video evidence of Holtmann's attendance at the event:

From the looks of his video, Holtmann is not a fully-fledged member of the Swifties. However, that may have changed after he attended her concert at the Los Angeles Rams' (semi) new venue, which can seat around 100,240 people for events like Swift's concert and looked packed. With that kind of crowd, Holtmann was amazed at the energy. He loved the vibe.

Alls I'm sayin' is Holtmann purchased a couple of the hottest tickets in the United States for him and his daughter, and he left the concert impressed. Don't be surprised if some Swift songs end up on Ohio State's practice and warm-up mixtapes.

 A CHANCE TO MAKE HISTORY. If Ohio State is to reach the College Football Playoff in 2023, four Buckeyes will be pivotal to the team's postseason push: Offensive tackle Josh Fryar, cornerback Denzel Burke and quarterbacks Kyle McCord or Devin Brown. That's what ESPN's Bill Connelly believes, at least.

On Thursday, Connelly ranked the 25 most important players in the 2023 CFP race. He didn't include household names like Caleb Williams or Marvin Harrison Jr. because everyone and their brother knows those players will be crucial to their team's success. Instead, Connelly went outside the box. Hence, the inclusion of Fryar and Burke, and to a lesser extent, McCord and Brown.

Here is where Connelly ranked the four Buckeyes and what he wrote about each of them:

No. 16 - LT Josh Fryar

As with [Penn State quarterback] Allar, Ohio State's new starting quarterback, be it Kyle McCord or Devin Brown, will have plenty of things going for him – namely, the best skill corps in the country and a Ryan Day offensive system that has produced five straight top-five finishes in offensive SP+.

We don't yet know what the Buckeyes will have to offer at offensive tackle, however. All-Americans Paris Johnson Jr. and Dawand Jones are both gone, as is center Luke Wypler, and the competition for a starting spot continues. Fryar appears to be the front-runner on the left, but he's got a high bar to clear, and his 2022 sample -- 229 blocks with a 3.1% blown block rate -- was unconvincing. Still, some combination of Fryar, San Diego State transfer Josh Simmons and youngsters Tegra Tshabola and Luke Montgomery have to come through.

No. 15 - CB Denzel Burke

I've repeated this line constantly this offseason, but it remains incredible: In Ohio State's two losses in 2022, to Michigan and Georgia, the Buckeyes allowed eight plays of 45-plus yards, five through the air. Coordinator Jim Knowles' aggressive, three-and-out heavy style worked against most opponents last year and will again in 2023, but against the most athletic teams on the schedule, the Buckeye defense will desperately need to avoid these devastating glitches.

The emergence of a shutdown corner might therefore make as big a difference as the emergence of a new Heisman-level QB. Burke is the most likely candidate. A breakout star as a freshman, he battled constant nagging injuries in 2022 and saw his numbers slip. (QBR allowed: 41.1 in 2021, 86.8 in 2022.) If he's healthy and confident, he could be a transformative presence.

No. 4 - QB Kyle McCord or Devin Brown

Spring practice didn't seem to bring finality to the Ohio State QB search. Heading into the fall, McCord seems to be the favorite. A former top-90 recruit, he completed 41 of 58 passes for 606 yards with three touchdowns as C.J. Stroud's backup.

The glitches were just frequent enough (two interceptions, four sacks) to raise an eyebrow, but let's face it: Even with a new coordinator (Brian Hartline), either he or Brown will be inheriting one of the easiest QB jobs in FBS. He'll have Marvin Harrison Jr. and Emeka Egbuka out wide and a loaded stable of backs beside him. This will probably work out fine, but "probably" isn't "definitely."

Notice the three position rooms featured because of Fryar, Burke, McCord and Brown: Offensive line, cornerback and quarterback. Otherwise known as the three positions with the most question marks as the Buckeyes started preseason camp. In other words, the success of those three positions will determine Ohio State's 2023 season.

At running back, wide receiver, tight end, defensive end, defensive tackle, linebacker and safety, Ohio State may be as experienced and talented as ever.

TreVeyon Henderson, Miyan Williams, Marvin Harrison Jr., Emeka Egbuka, Cade Stover, JT Tuimoloau, Jack Sawyer, Mike Hall Jr., Tyleik Williams, Tommy Eichenberg, Lathan Ransom, Ja'Had Carter, Sonny Styles – experts do not doubt Ohio State's talent from top to bottom. They question the offensive line, the cornerbacks and the quarterbacks.

Fryar, Burke and McCord or Brown must silence the doubters in 2023, or the Buckeyes could spend another year without a CFP push and a subsequent national title.

 "A GREAT LEADER AND TEAMMATE." On Wednesday, Gene Smith revealed that he would retire from his position as Ohio State's athletic director on June 30, 2024. After that announcement, Colin Gay and Bill Rabinowitz of The Columbus Dispatch collected quotes from prominent former and current Ohio State coaches about how Smith has impacted them since their relationships started.

Here are some of the quotes Gay and Rabinowitz compiled:

Former Ohio State football coach Urban Meyer

"Gene was a great leader and teammate during our time together. He has a genuine care and love for the student athlete and The Ohio State University."

Former OSU senior deputy AD, current Utah State AD Diana Sabau

"We are all so indebted to Gene and Sheila's impact to the enterprise of intercollegiate athletics. Gene has created competitive and comprehensive excellence throughout 36 athletics programs, created professional opportunities, enhanced facilities while putting student-athletes and all students first. He has made a transformative difference across the nation."

Former OSU senior deputy AD, current Washington State AD Pat Chun

"It’s nearly impossible to quantify in words the impact Gene Smith has had on college athletics. His nearly four decade career as an Athletics Director will never be duplicated. I was fortunate to have worked and learned from Gene earlier in my career. Gene has had a profound impact on me both professionally and personally. I’m grateful for his continued friendship and mentoring to this day. I congratulate both he and Sheila and look forward to the next chapter of their lives!"

Ohio State wrestling coach Tom Ryan

"It's hard to climb higher than the person above you is willing to climb. It's always, 'What can we do? How can we help? What do we need to do?' When you work in that environment, things usually go pretty well. And he's been that way since day one.

"This is deeper for me personally. When I was hired here, my family and I were struggling. We had just lost our son. So I tie to the fact that this guy took a chance on me. I couldn't say enough. I mean, I'm so grateful. I'm really grateful for Gene and the way he leads and the opportunity that he gave us. My entire life is transformed thanks to this opportunity. I have two children that graduated from here. They met amazing people... He's been incredibly supportive of building a national power in wrestling. But it's hard to detach that from how he's helped me personally, my family and the people I've met in this region. It's just been a blessing.

"We've seen facilities being built and more opportunities for student athletes. A lot of that is the visionary, the genius. I mean, we're in a new complex — a $50 million complex that's the nicest on the planet. That doesn't happen without his vision and then people, people that believe in him. It takes people that believe in what you are doing to make these things happen. You know, he's a pretty easy guy to believe in one you get to know him."

The Dispatch also featured quotes from Ohio State women's volleyball coach Jen Flynn Oldenburg, men's tennis coach Ty Tucker, baseball coach Bill Mosiello and women's golf coach Lisa Strom, who all had phenomenal words to share about Smith.

And who doesn't love Gene Smith? Outside of you hostile fans, that is.

In his tenure at Ohio State, the Buckeyes have won 115 team and 369 individual conference championships. They have also secured 32 team and 117 individual national titles. And in academics, Ohio State has increased its Academic Performance Rate annually as its athletes have collected numerous Academic All-Big Ten and Academic All-American awards between 2005-23.

It's been a helluva run for Gene.

I have confidence – and I am sure all of the coaches mentioned above have confidence – that he will wrap up his Ohio State career with a bang.

 SONG OF THE DAY. "Different State of Mind" by Kid Bloom.

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