Welcome to the Skull Session.
Look at Marv, man. So inspirational.
Biletnikoff back in Zone 6, where it belongs
— Ohio State Football (@OhioStateFB) December 12, 2023
@MarvHarrisonJr x @biletnikoffawrd pic.twitter.com/JMPy8Bmi0C
Let’s have a good Wednesday, shall we?
PUT THE BEST FOOT FORWARD. On Tuesday, six Ohio State juniors – Emeka Egbuka, Denzel Burke, Donovan Jackson, Tyleik Williams, Jack Sawyer and Jordan Hancock – announced their intentions to play in the Cotton Bowl.
The Cotton Bowl.
The New Year’s Six bowl game where the No. 7-ranked Buckeyes will face off with the No. 9-ranked Missouri Tigers in Arlington, Texas?
Yeah, that one.
The one some Ohio State “fans” have called “meaningless” because, “Well, if the Buckeyes aren’t in the College Football Playoff, they might as well be playing Division III Alabama A&M Christian Technical College in an exhibition game!”
Ohio State “fans.”
The “fans” Kirk Herbsteit would call the 15 percenters?
Yeah, those ones.
Sawyer had a message for those people and all who believe Ohio State’s Cotton Bowl appearance is “meaningless.”
“Pardon my French, but I think that’s kind of bulls—. This game means a lot to us and to the fans. It’s an opportunity to go out there and play and put our best foot forward and show the world who we really are.”
Well said, Jack.
Put the best foot forward.
Beat Missouri.
BURN THE BOATS. When Devin Brown committed to Ohio State, he tweeted a clip from the 1998 film, “Rounders,” in which Mike McDermott (Matt Damon) goes “all in” with Teddy KGB (John Malkovich) in a poker game.
— Devin Brown (@dbrownqb33) December 1, 2021
From then on, I became a Devin Brown stan.
Three-hundred eighty-four days later, amid rumors that he could enter the transfer portal ahead of his sophomore season in Columbus, Brown tweeted another Rounders clip in which McDermott says, “I’m not going anywhere.”
— Devin Brown (@dbrownqb33) December 20, 2022
From then on, I became an even bigger Devin Brown stan.
Three-hundred fifty-one days after that, amid rumors that Ohio State could add a transfer quarterback to replace Kyle McCord, who entered the transfer portal himself 36 hours earlier, Brown tweeted a photo that references Hernán Cortés’ “burn the boats,” no-turning-back mindset.
— Devin Brown (@dbrownqb33) December 5, 2023
From then on, I became an even bigger Devin Brown stan.
And seven days after that, Brown met with reporters on the indoor practice field at the Woody Hayes Athletic Center. The Ohio State quarterback discussed his excitement to play in the Cotton Bowl and show what he can do as the Buckeyes’ QB1 at AT&T Stadium.
“I’m excited to go play and finally show what I can do and have fun with this team. … All year, I have prepared as if I was the starter. It’s different knowing you’ll get a lot more reps because it’s not split up or anything like that. There’s nothing to look over my shoulder for or anything. I can go out, have fun and play my game. … One thing I have always said is that I am a competitive guy and that I like to go out and compete. It doesn’t matter what’s going on. I’m always gonna sink all my chips in here. That’s why I came here. It was to be the best I can be here. … I’m pumped. I can’t believe my first start is gonna be in the Cotton Bowl. It’s a big stage against a really good team. It’s a top-10 matchup. I’m excited to go out there and show what I can do.”
Guess what? From then on, I have become an even bigger Devin Brown stan.
Brown has confidence – or, as Jim Knowles would call it, moxie.
But how do Brown’s teammates see him? Does he have respect in the locker room? Will Ohio State’s quarterbacks, running backs, wide receivers and offensive line follow him?
Emeka Egbuka believes so.
“We always knew he’s been ready. Even when Kyle was injured or something like that, if Devin had to come in, we knew he was going to get the job done. So it’s no different with the Cotton Bowl. … I’m not bashing Kyle, but something Devin has that he doesn’t is a little bit more mobility. We would always joke with Kyle about stuff like that. Devin really has a knack for extending the play after it’s broken down. That’s something that is ultra-valuable, especially in matchup games. Those big plays often come from broken-down plays. It’s not something you’ve scripted. It’s the reaction of the players around you. The ability to extend the play is a trait that can help a quarterback a lot. … He’s a great passer, a great improviser, a great field general. He’s someone who provides the offense with a lot of energy, which is huge for that position. He has a cannon, too, so those deep balls down the field, he can really launch those as well.”
There remains a possibility Ohio State could add a quarterback like Cam Ward from the transfer portal. He would be an excellent fit for the Buckeyes, according to ESPN’s Tom Luginbill and FOX’s Joel Klatt.
However, if the Buckeyes do not land Ward or another player in the portal, consider me excited to see Brown, a 6-foot-3, 214-pound quarterback who was coached in high school by former Buckeye Joe Germaine and now has two years of experience working with quarterbacks coach Corey Dennis, offensive analyst Todd Fitch and head coach Ryan Day at Ohio State.
WHAT GIVES? The Football Writers Association of America and the Associated Press named Marvin Harrison Jr. a first-team All-American on Monday, making the talented pass-catcher a consensus All-American for the second consecutive season. Two more of the same honor (via the American Football Coaches Association and Sporting News), and Harrison will also repeat as a unanimous selection.
Super Marv, AP All-American
— Ohio State Football (@OhioStateFB) December 11, 2023
@MarvHarrisonJr#GoBucks pic.twitter.com/3HJSfuX6AU
While that accomplishment for Harrison is of course notable, as are all the accomplishments from the man called marvelous and super, I have wondered over the past 48 hours: Where is the recognition for Ohio State’s defensive players?
In the regular season, Ohio State ranked third and second in the FBS at 259.9 yards and 11 points allowed per game. The Buckeyes also ranked fourth in stop rate at 78.3% behind Michigan (81.6%), Penn State (81.6%) and Iowa (79.7%). You would think, with numbers such as those, the Silver Bullets would be well represented on the All-American teams from various national college football media outlets.
The FWAA named Tommy Eichenberg a second-team All-American on Monday, while the Walter Camp Football Foundation named Tyleik Williams and Denzel Burke second-team All-Americans on Saturday.
FWAA All-Americans
— Ohio State Football (@OhioStateFB) December 11, 2023
@MarvHarrisonJr | @tommyike41 pic.twitter.com/KGoH4gGRZn
Walter Camp All-Americans
— Ohio State Football (@OhioStateFB) December 11, 2023
@MarvHarrisonJr
@King10Burke
@tyleikk pic.twitter.com/OY96kjquMw
But outside of those nominations?
Nothing.
Well, almost nothing.
The Athletic named Burke a second-team All-American.
But outside of that?!
Nothing.
In a year when Ohio State had one of the best defenses in the nation, individual accolades were hard to find, and that surprises me.
Sometime this week, the AFCA and Sporting News will reveal their All-American teams. The Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year, a Biletnikoff Award winner and a Heisman finalist, Harrison is sure to become a unanimous selection for the second consecutive season. I eagerly await that distinction. Yet, I also eagerly await additional selections for Buckeyes like Eichenberg, Williams and Burke. Will those selections come? I’m not sure. But one can hope, at least.
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