Skull Session: MSU Coach Harlon Barnett Calls Ohio State "Beatable," Ryan Day Says Buckeyes "Do Things the Right Way" and Luke Wypler Brings Woody Hayes' "Robust T" to Cleveland

By Chase Brown on November 10, 2023 at 5:00 am
Ryan Day
Adam Cairns / USA TODAY Sports
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Welcome to the Skull Session.

One more sleep.

FYI, that was C.J. Barnett in the uniform. He looks like he could still deliver the boom.

Let's have a good Friday, shall we?

 "THEY'RE BEATABLE GUYS." Michigan State interim head coach Harlon Barnett held a press conference earlier this week to preview the Spartans' matchup with the Buckeyes. Barnett was asked about Ohio State several times in the Q&A session. Here is a video of the press conference (via Spartan Mag) and a transcription of Barnett's quotes:

On what Michigan State needs to beat Ohio State

“Great attention to detail. You got to have great attention to detail. … We can’t beat ourselves. Great attention to detail will help us not beat ourselves and get those costly penalties. Give ourselves a chance. Don’t help them beat us, make them beat us. Have them earn the right to beat us. That’s what we got to start. And then we move from there. Great attention to detail is always going to be a major factor. And that great attention to detail means doing your job, playing with great discipline, great eye control and great physicality.”

On the 2023 Ohio State team vs. previous Ohio State teams

“I see what you see [Barnett chuckled]. No, they’re a good team. They always get a lot of great talent down there. Marvin Harrison is an outstanding football player, and they have others as well. They’re not lacking for talent — offense, defense or anywhere. So we got to go down there and, like I said, have great attention to detail and make sure we’re going to execute on every chance and opportunity we have to execute.”

On how Michigan State plans to contain Marvin Harrison Jr.

“I can’t tell you that. But I will say this. He’s a really good football player, and we know that. That’s what I’ll say.”

On Michigan State's last seven games vs. Ohio State

“With the last seven games, I’ll tell you where my mind goes. Let’s go back to 2012, we should’ve won. We had a scoop-and-score that was called back. It was a bad call —should’ve been a touchdown. It was a close game. In 2013, we won. In 2014, we should’ve won. They called a touchdown back when we should’ve been leading at halftime. In 2015, we won down there. In 2016, we should’ve won here, close game. That’s where my mind goes. I know what it is to go down, compete and play hard against these guys. They’re beatable guys just like anybody else, we’re going to go down with the mindset to go attack them and get a win. That’s my mindset. It will never change. Last week, somebody mentioned spoiler, I’m like, ‘That’s a scrub mentality.' That has never been my mentality and it will never be.”

I agree. Ohio State is a good football team.

I agree. Marvin Harrison Jr. is a good football player.

I agree. The Buckeyes are beatable, like all other teams in college football.

But will Michigan State attack Ohio State and win on Saturday?

Uhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh, no.

Good luck with that, Harlon.

I'll save the prediction for tomorrow, but here's a sneak peek: The number next to Ohio State will be much, much larger than the number next to Michigan State.

 OUR HONOR DEFEND. On Wednesday, Ohio State head coach Ryan Day refuted reports that Ohio State shared Michigan signals with Purdue before the Boilermakers faced the Wolverines in the 2022 Big Ten Championship Game.

"Nobody here did any of that," he said. "We went through and made sure we asked all the questions and got our compliance people involved. None of that came back at all. I can answer very strongly that that did not happen."

Day made the comment while wearing an Ohio State sweatshirt that has the phrase "Our Honor Defend" across the chest. After seeing a brief clip from 10TV's Dave Holmes, where Day refuted reports that Ohio State shared Michigan's signals with Purdue a second time, I have started to wonder if Day's wardrobe selection on Wednesday was intentional.

I believe "Our guys in this program do things the right way" can be translated to "Our HONOR defend." Is that a fair translation?

And what a great jab at Michigan.

Our guys at Ohio State? We do things the right way. Michigan? Well, you can put two and two together.

 THIS AND THAT. Another Skull Session, another This and That™.

Let's ride.

This week, Illinois head coach Bret Bielema, fearless leader of THE FIGHTING BERTS, commented on Michigan's sign-stealing scheme. Bielema provided an almost two-minute response, calling the Wolverines' actions "sickening" and "disgusting."

According to Michael Mulvihill, a data and analytics expert for FOX and Tubi, college football viewership has increased by 15% (or more) across all networks — CBS (and Paramount+), CW, FOX, NBC (and Peacock), and ESPN (and ABC), among others. That means the 2023 college football season could become the most-watched season ever.

Mmmmmmm. We have reached the "Does Ohio State claim Joe Burrow?" / "Does Joe Burrow claim Ohio State" portion of the 2023 calendar. Knew it would happen at some point. With a Cincinnati Bengals-Houston Texans matchup set for Sunday, Burrow was asked about his relationship with C.J. Stroud this week. He was also asked about his relationship with the Buckeyes, to which Joey Brrrr responded:

This season, former Ohio State and current Cleveland Browns offensive lineman Luke Wypler has educated his NFL teammates on Woody Hayes' "Robust T" formation. In Cleveland's win over Arizona last weekend, the Browns utilized the "Hot Line to Victory" to score a touchdown. Great work, Luke.

Also from Browns-Cardinals, Ohio State can add another file to its #DevelopedHere folder.

Ohio State men's basketball hosts No. 15 Texas A&M at Value City Arena on Friday. Our basketball beat reporter, Andy Anders, will be there and told me he will take photos with each Eleven Warriors reader who approaches him (Andy did not tell me that).

That's all for This and That™.

Skull Session readers, we move.

 THE ELEVEN DUBGATE IS PARTYING TOMORROW WITH LAND GRANT BREWING.

The mission of land-grant universities is inclusiveness. Ohio State graduates Adam Benner and Walt Keys built Land Grant Brewing — their foray into the craft beer industry — on this foundation.

LGB land grant beer let's go bucks
Land Grant beer is a Columbus institution.

Benner and Keys' goal has always been to create an inclusive craft-beer environment where everyone feels welcome and to make craft beer more accessible through both education on the art and science of brewing, as well as the commitment to enriching our community – both pillars that define land-grant universities today.

You can find Land Grant beers everywhere, from John Glenn International Airport to Columbus Crew games, as well as in Ohio Stadium. Tomorrow, you'll also find Land Grant beer at Eleven Dubgate 11.

Doors open at 3 p.m. for our 11th Eleven Dubgate, which will be held on Saturday before Ohio State's matchup with Michigan State. This event relies on your donations, all of which will benefit Special Olympics Olentangy. Cash and Venmo (@OSSOSTORM) are both accepted.

If you cannot attend Eleven Dubgate 11 but would still like to donate, use Venmo and type "Dubgate" in the text field. Every donation is appreciated.

 SONG OF THE DAY. "When The Curtain Falls" - Greta Van Fleet.

 CUT TO THE CHASE. Apollo astronaut Frank Borman, who first orbited the moon, died at age 95... In Wisconsin, old fashioneds come with brandy. Lawmakers want to make it somewhat official... A Florida family says a black bear stole a $45 Taco Bell order from their front porch... Spotify Premium users can now access over 200,000 audiobooks, 15 hours of listening per month... Microsoft pays $30 million for nearly 300 acres in Ohio's Licking County area.

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