Welcome to the Skull Session.
Ohio State hosts Western Kentucky in three days. Be ready.
Back to Back in the pic.twitter.com/XWwORIgiV1
— Ohio State Football (@OhioStateFB) September 12, 2023
Let's have a good Wednesday, shall we?
KYLE MCCORD, QB1. It's official: Kyle McCord will be Ohio State's full-time QB1 for the remainder of the 2023 season. According to an Eleven Warriors poll released moments after that news broke, 95% (3,257) of the 3,424 voters believed Ohio State head coach Ryan Day made the correct call at the proper time.
After completing 14 of 20 passes for 258 yards and three touchdowns in Week 2, McCord separated himself from Devin Brown (7-of-13 passing, 101 yards) in the quarterback competition. Day noticed as much on Saturday but waited for a film review – and a conversation with both McCord and Brown – before he revealed his selection to the media and Ohio State fans.
"After reviewing the film, we have decided that Kyle is going to be the starter, to make that distinction," Day said. "We still plan on playing Devin, but we feel Kyle has really stepped up and deserves to be the starter."
How does Day believe the decision to name McCord will benefit the Buckeyes?
"I think it gives Kyle peace of mind that he is the starter, and he's earned the opportunity," Day said. "He will receive more reps. Devin will still get reps in practice. He will get reps with the ones. But Kyle will get a little more than he has in the last couple of weeks. I also think it's good for the team to have that distinction that Kyle is the starter."
Moreover, that distinction allows McCord to find a rhythm and be comfortable – or, as I like to say, lean back and SLING the rock.
"His consistency overall," Day said of what McCord has shown and will continue to show as Ohio State's quarterback. "Managing the game, making the routine plays routinely, not making bad plays worse. He's starting to learn how that works, how the game works, the preparation. If he can keep building on that, I think you'll see more and more (special) play."
Me, personally, I like special play.
Let's ride, 6.
PLAYOFFS?! Don't talk about – playoffs? You kidding me? Playoffs?!
No offense to Jim Mora and his legendary press conference rant, which lives on over 20 years later, but I need to talk about playoffs – the College Football Playoff – in the Wednesday Skull Session.
On Monday, 14 ESPN college football writers updated their CFP selections after Week 2. Only one, David Hale, picked the Buckeyes to reach the coveted four-team tournament. Here is a complete look at each staffer's choices:
Andrea Adelson: 1. Georgia 2. Florida State 3. Michigan 4. USC
Blake Baumgartner: 1. Georgia 2. Florida State 3. Texas 4. Michigan
Kyle Bonagura: 1. Georgia 2. Florida State 3. Michigan 4. USC
Bill Connelly: 1 Florida State 2. Georgia 3. Texas 4. USC
Heather Dinich: 1. Georgia 2. Florida State 3. Texas 4. USC
David Hale: 1. Georgia 2. Florida State 3. Ohio State 4. Texas
Chris Low: 1. Georgia 2. Florida State 3. Texas 4. Michigan
Harry Lyles Jr: 1. Georgia 2. Florida State 3. Texas 4. USC
Adam Rittenberg: 1. Georgia 2. Michigan 3. Texas 4. Florida State
Mark Schlabach: 1. Georgia 2. Michigan 3. Texas 4. Florida State
Alex Scarborough: 1. Georgia 2. Florida State 3. Michigan 4. USC
Paolo Uggetti: 1. Georgia 2. Florida State 3. Texas 4. USC
Tom VanHaaren: 1. Georgia 2. Michigan 3. Florida State 4. Texas
Dave Wilson: 1 Georgia 2. Florida State 3. Michigan 4. Texas
All 14 staffers have Georgia and Florida State in the CFP, while 11 (of 14) staffers picked Texas, nine picked Michigan, seven picked USC, and one (Hale) picked Ohio State.
The disrespect!
No. In all seriousness, I don't blame the ESPN crew for leaving Ohio State out, as that seems to be a consensus among national news outlets such as 247Sports, CBS Sports and USA TODAY. The reality is that – even in matchups with teams the caliber of Indiana and Youngstown State – Ohio State has not been consistent and, therefore, does not currently deserve a spot in the CFP over Georgia, Florida State, Michigan and USC.
How-evuh, that does not mean the Buckeyes will ride the roller-coaster moving forward.
Ohio State could hop off the roller-coaster as soon as Saturday, as the offense can evolve with Kyle McCord as the full-time starter, and the defense can pass the test created by Austin Reed, Malachi Corley and Western Kentucky's offense. But even if the Buckeyes have another up-and-down performance in Week 3, all they need to do is secure a win... and then nine more wins afterward.
Indeed, whether consistent or inconsistent, if Ohio State wins out, it will reach the CFP. It's that simple. An undefeated Ohio State team with wins over Notre Dame, Wisconsin, Penn State, Michigan and an unnamed Big Ten West team in the conference championship – that's an Ohio State team with a résumé to reach the CFP year in and year out.
HE'S GOT A BOOT! Shortly after Dan Hope, Andy Anders and I returned to the press box following Ohio State's postgame press conference last weekend, Andy, looking over the box score, turned to Dan and me and said, "Jesse Mirco had a nice afternoon."
I turned toward Andy, expecting to see Jim Tressel before me in his Ohio State-Youngstown State vest. Alas, it was Andy. "Three punts, 136 yards," he said. "A 45.3-yard average with two punts downed inside the 20-yard line."
"That's pretty good," I said, nodding in approval.
It was, in fact, pretty good.
On Tuesday, Mirco was named to the Ray Guy Award's “Ray's 8,” a weekly honor presented to the best punters in college football from the previous week. The Ohio State specialist appeared on the list with James Burnip (Alabama), James Ferguson-Reynolds (Boise State), Riley Reithman (Navy), Ryan Rehkow (BYU), Ryan Sanborn (Texas), Stephen Kotsanlee (Utah State) and Tory Taylor (Iowa).
Week #RAYS8 featuring our very own, @Jesse_Mirco29 pic.twitter.com/DM017UZHry
— Ohio State Football (@OhioStateFB) September 12, 2023
Because of Ohio State's annual offensive efficiency, the Buckeyes' punters rarely win national awards for their talent. Those honors are usually reserved for punters from schools like Kentucky, Georgia Tech, San Diego State, Rutgers and wherever else. Despite that, a weekly award such as Ray's 8 proves that Mirco is a reliable punter for Ohio State who will perform well when called upon.
After two weeks, Mirco has punted seven times and averaged 45.57 yards per punt – an average that ranks 17th in the NCAA. He also has two punts exceeding 50 yards and two landing inside the 20-yard line. In other words, he's got a boot!
SASSO'S RETURN TO THE MAT. After he was shot on Aug. 18, Ohio State wrestler Sammy Sasso has a "long road ahead" before he returns to the mat, Buckeyes head coach Tom Ryan told WSYX ABC 6 in Columbus on Tuesday.
"He's battling. His family is beside him at every step. (He has a) deep desire to wrestle again. Not this year, but hopefully next. A long road ahead. Mindset is strong and good. ... Once his stomach wounds heal, he will be able to focus on his movement. He’s in good spirits. There were some setbacks, but he’s overcome them. Things can change fast though. ... He met with a few recruits this weekend too in his hospital room. Was really special moment. He told them he washed his hair and cleaned up because he couldn’t wait to be with them. It was really moving. He loves this place.”
A four-time All-American, two-time Big Ten champion and two-time NCAA runner-up at 149 pounds, Sasso was set to wrestle in his final season with the Buckeyes in 2023-24. However, based on Ryan's comment, the Nazareth, Pennsylvania, native will look to complete his decorated collegiate career in 2024-25.
— Ohio State Wrestling (@wrestlingbucks) September 12, 2023
The loss of Sasso deals an incredible blow to Ohio State's Big Ten and NCAA championship hopes, as he was supposed to headline a 10-man roster that returns All-Americans Jesse Mendez (133 pounds), Dylan D'Emilio (141), Carson Kharchla (165) and Gavin Hoffman (197).
Unfortunately, Sasso is now – at least temporarily – in the same category as Malik Heinselman (125), Ethan Smith (174), Kaleb Romero (184) and Tate Orndorff (HWT), who have graduated and moved on from the program after leading the Buckeyes to fourth-place finishes at the Big Ten and NCAA championships last season.
Overwhelmed by the outpouring of support for Sammy from our Buckeye Family and the entire wrestling community. #SassoStrong pic.twitter.com/kXq6SGBUQe
— Ohio State Wrestling (@wrestlingbucks) August 20, 2023
My heart breaks for Sasso.
I know how much he wanted to lead Ohio State to a national championship this season. But that wasn't in the cards. I hope he returns to the mat as strong as ever in 2024-25, becoming the same "Savage" we have all known and loved over the past five years.
SONG OF THE DAY. "Am I Savage?" by Metallica.
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