Skull Session: Ohio State’s Special Teams Need to Be Better, Buckeyes Plan to Redshirt Dallan Hayden and Jason Day Attends an Ohio State Practice

Welcome to the Skull Session.

Another #BOOM occurred in Columbus on Wednesday.

#BOOM Ohio State lands its second safety in the 2024 class with the commitment of Florida prospect Leroy Roker. https://t.co/MXhXcREZ4s
— Eleven Warriors (@11W) October 11, 2023

Let's have a good Thursday, shall we?

“WE NEED TO HOLD EACH OTHER ACCOUNTABLE.” Ohio State's special teams unit had some – let's call them blunders, sure that works – blunders last season that cost the Buckeyes in their two losses to Michigan and Georgia.

Against the Wolverines, it was a lack of execution (twice!) from Mason Arnold, as the walk-on long snapper, who has since transferred, was called for a snap infraction and then, on the next attempt, snapped the ball to Jesse Mirco instead of Mitch Rossi. Against the Bulldogs, the Buckeyes had 12 men on the field for a fake punt (that would not have been called) before a well-timed Georgia timeout. And then, of course, the... *takes a deep breath*... the last-second missed field goal from Noah Ruggles.

Six weeks into the 2023 season, Ohio State's special teams blunders have continued.

In Ohio State's 37-17 win over Maryland on Saturday, the Buckeyes executed a punt so poorly that, in real-time, people wondered whether Ohio State called a fake. It was not. It was a botched snap from John Ferlmann.

“That’s the life of a long snapper, a punter and a field goal kicker,” Day said on Tuesday. “We call it one shot, one kill, like a sniper. You don’t have an opportunity to be wrong. They understand that. They’ll work hard to get that fixed.”

But Ohio State's miscues didn't stop there.

Xavier Johnson was called for illegal formation on a second-quarter punt, which Maryland wide receiver Jeshaun Jones returned for 26 yards. Tack on the extra 5 yards from Johnson's penalty, and the Terps took over on Ohio State's 49-yard line.

But Ohio State's miscues didn't stop there.

Johnson, Emeka Egbuka and later Jayden Ballard, who became the Buckeyes' punt returner after Egbuka exited the game, made some questionable decisions to fair catch or not fair catch punts. Also, one of Mirco's four punts traveled (quack, quack) 33 yards.

Those blunders and miscues are inexcusable, especially for a program with a full-time special teams coach. That said, I commend Ohio State beat reporter Doug Lesmerises, who asked Day if the Buckeyes' level of detail on special teams "should be better" given that Parker Fleming is in a devoted role.

"We want all of our detail to be better across the board," Day said. "We work really hard on special teams. I think the coaching detail is there. We need to hold each other accountable. It starts with me. I have to help coach it better – hold the coaches accountable and the players accountable to (coach and) play at a high level.

"We want (special teams) to be a weapon for us. We want it to be an area that we're winning on. There have been some good things, and just like offense and defense, there are areas we have to get better at.”

Day's answer wasn't exactly an endorsement of Fleming's work. Therefore, I wonder how this ends whenever the Buckeyes "come up for air."

Regardless, Ohio State's special teams need to improve. You have work to do, Mr. Fleming.

CHRIS SPIELMAN, EVERYONE. That section had a lot of words... oops. Let's all take a breather.

On Wednesday, Chris Spielman celebrated trip No. 58 around the sun. Naturally, I watched some videos of the Canton, Ohio, native, former Ohio State linebacker and 10-year NFL veteran becoming a legend on the football field, primarily as a member of the Buckeyes.

Across four seasons at Ohio State, Spielman collected 546 tackles, including a school-record 283 solo stops. He also racked up 30 tackles for loss, 11 interceptions and five forced fumbles. His 205 tackles during the 1986 season are the second-most in a single season in program history, and his 29 tackles against Michigan in that same season are tied for the school's single-game record. In the 35 seasons since Spielman left the Buckeyes for the NFL, no Ohio State linebacker (zero, zip, zilch, nada) has come within 138 tackles of his career mark.

Spielman was a two-time All-American (consensus in 1986, unanimous in 1987), a three-time All-Big Ten honoree and the 1987 Lombardi Award winner. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2009.

Note: October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Spielman's late wife, Stefanie, passed away on Nov. 19, 2009, after several battles with breast cancer. This month (and always), please consider donating to the Stefanie Spielman Fund for Breast Cancer Research at Ohio State's James Cancer Hospital.

REDSHIRT SZN. If all goes according to plan this season, sophomore running back Dallan Hayden will redshirt in 2023. While that news made several Ohio State fans – around 15% of them – slam their fists on a table, Ryan Day said it is the correct decision as Ohio State prepares for the future.

“We talked about it in the preseason, going into the season,” Day said on Tuesday. “We didn’t want to put Dallan in a situation where, with three running backs, we were gonna use up a year of eligibility for him. ... He’s ready to go. He’s practicing. If appropriate, we’ll put him in the game. (But) we don’t want to have him play in five or six games without a bunch of work. We don’t think that’s the right thing to do for Dallan.”

Last season, Hayden emerged from the bottom half of Ohio State's running back room to BMOC with 143 yards and three scores vs. Maryland – an ascension that should be marveled at. Still, it makes sense for Hayden to redshirt, especially as TreVeyon Henderson, Chip Trayanum and Miyan Williams will continue to dominate the carries. I mean, geez, even Williams has only 25 attempts after five weeks – and Henderson missed a game!

Hayden ended 2022 with 553 yards and five touchdowns, with 77 of 111 carries coming in four matchups (Toledo, Michigan State, Indiana and Maryland). He won't come close to that kind of production in 2023.

“But Dallan’s ready to go,” Day said. “Dallan’s great about it. If appropriate, he will go in because he still has four games to play. And then we wouldn’t burn a whole year of eligibility with Dallan as we look into the future. ... We think he’s great. We think he’s a really good player. We have three guys already there. So that’s kind of the conversation that we had. He was great. He’s working hard.”

Dallan Hayden REDSHIRT SZN is #Loading...

Hopefully, Ohio State's decision will pay off in the long run.

JDAY, BABAY. PGA Tour star Jason Day, once the No. 1-ranked golfer in the world, attended an Ohio State football practice this week. The Buckeyes' social media team posted photos of his appearance on Tuesday.

Mr. Day Mr. Day pic.twitter.com/aURozx6VNI
— Ohio State Football (@OhioStateFB) October 10, 2023

A native of Beaudesert, Queensland, Australia, Day has called Westerville, Ohio, home for several years. The 35-year-old has been a professional golfer since 2006. In 17 years, Day has won 18 tournaments, including the 2015 PGA Championship. He also reached the No. 1 spot in the Official World Golf Ranking in September 2015.

Day claimed his latest tournament win in May when he defeated Austin Eckroat and Si Woo Kim at the AT&T Byron Nelson at TPC Craig Ranch in McKinney, Texas. The victory was Day's first since the 2018 Wells Fargo Championship at Quail Hollow Golf Course in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Massive thanks to Coach Day and the OSU program for having me out for practice. Great times! #gobuckeyes @OhioStateFB pic.twitter.com/SEdF3IcOM6
— Jason Day (@JDayGolf) October 10, 2023

Having world-renowned athletes attend practice shouldn't be the norm for a college football program, but it feels that way for the Buckeyes. That's how you know Ohio State has been and always will be one of the top brands in the sport.

SONG OF THE DAY. "Sabotage" by Beastie Boys.