Skull Session: Ohio State is “The Envy of 98% of the Sport,” Ryan Day Trusts Chip Kelly More Than Anyone in CFB and Four Buckeyes Are Top 100 Draft Prospects

*sighs*

Final from Madison.

OSU: 54
UW: 62

Buckeyes are back in action Sunday @TheSchott against No. 1 Purdue at 1 PM ET. pic.twitter.com/e9Om5Ub8Qt

— Ohio State Hoops (@OhioStateHoops) February 14, 2024

Have a good Wednesday.

 IS 2024 RYAN DAY’S YEAR? I've asked that question. You've asked that question. We've all asked that question. Josh Pate of CBS Sports answered it in a recent episode of The Late Kick...

... kind of.

You'll see what I mean.

“It's become the most common refrain from the hater crowd in January and February. It's, ‘Uh oh. Ryan Day had the audacity to make his roster better. He's screwed now.’ In no other world does that make sense, but this is college football. You're trying to rationalize the irrational already. What they mean is... he has to win a title this year or he's done. Well, no he's not. But if you do believe that, tell me how that happens. What is the record in this scenario? If he loses a game, is he fired? ... I don't think so. Some of you do. If it's the Michigan game he loses, some of you think, 'That's it. He's fired.' Ohio State is the envy of 98% of this sport, and that includes your head coach, who I still think is one of the best in the game. But you are the envy of 98% of the sport.

“Instead of realizing that, I have some people tell me it's worth risking it all (for a title) but don't realize that he is the one who could get you there. He had you there (in 2022). The field goal against Georgia — the difference between one kick — that's the difference between you body-bagging TCU and Ryan Day being called national championship-winning head coach Ryan Day. (If that happened), none of this foolishness would be said. But I understand, in some roundabout way, that's what makes our sport great. Sometimes it's irrational.

“I think Ryan Day is a stud. I think who he is as a head coach is still evolving. I think what a Ryan Day team is is still evolving. I think what an Ohio State program is under Ryan Day is still evolving. ... Things change. He's a young head coach. He's not 55 years old. He's still young. He's still evolving. In 2030, if he's still there, I guarantee you — I don't know what it will be — but I guarantee you we look back and say, 'Remember when he was fill in the blank in 2021 or 2022? Wow, what a far cry we are from that.’ You know how I know that's likely? Because we said it about Nick Saban (after the first couple of years), and he became the best of all time. ... The hallmark of the best is that they evolve.”

OK... so... basically...

Pate didn't explicitly call 2024 Ryan Day's year, but he did call the Ohio State head coach a stud who continues to evolve and grow into his role as the Buckeyes' program leader. So yes? It is?

It could be. Dare I say it should be?

Ohio State has all the pieces to beat Michigan, win the Big Ten championship and win a national title in 2024. It will be easier said than done, but there's no time like the present for Day to take his team to the promised land. Then 100% of the sport will envy the Buckeyes.

 EYES ON THE PRIZE. Joel Klatt of Fox Sports loves that Ryan Day and Ohio State hired former UCLA head coach Chip Kelly to be its next offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach.

Klatt believes Ohio State can thrive under Kelly, especially in the run game – a point I made in the Tuesday Skull Session.

In other words... Me *handshake* Joel Klatt.

“When you're at square one and when your back is against the wall, you tend to lean on those you trust. There is not a person in this business that Ryan Day trusts more than Chip Kelly. And now Kelly will leave UCLA as their head coach (for Ohio State). And that's in the same conference — I know that sounds weird — he'll leave UCLA to take the offensive coordinator position at Ohio State. That's quite wild. But as soon as Bill O'Brien left...  it was Chip to Ohio State. It made a lot of sense.

“Did Chip have success at UCLA? I would argue that he did. He rebuilt that program in so many ways. ... He won at least eight games in the last three years. That's not easy to do with what was going on in the Pac-12 the past couple of years. That conference was deep. There were a lot of teams that played at a high level. ... I think Chip did a good job at UCLA, but at the same time, you could also see that Chip wasn't long for a head coaching position at the college level. He did not like what the sport had become and what he would have to do to have success in the sport as a head coach. I don't think Chip loves recruiting. The rankings reflected that.”

** INTERRUPTION FACT CHECK **

Yikes.

** INTERRUPTION OVER **

“Now, he'll work for what I would call his best friend in the profession, maybe even overall. They have a history. Chip coached Ryan Day at New Hampshire. It makes all the sense in the world.  There's nobody that Ryan Day trusts more in this sport than Chip Kelly. ... Chip will have a mobile quarterback, the best backfield in the country in TreVeyon Henderson and Quinshon Judkins and (receivers like) Emeka Egbuka and Carnell Tate. He's like, 'I get to call plays?'

“Ohio State will become a better running team. Chip Kelly rushes the football as well as anybody in the country. I think Ohio State will lean into that more. Remember, over the past three years, part of what has gotten Ohio State beat against Michigan is that Michigan was the better team running the football. ... Last year, Ohio State was 88th in the country running the football. That needs to get better, and it will. Ryan Day's main objective is to beat Michigan, and I think he's diving into that. Nobody has had a better offseason than Ohio State. This adds to that.”

That last point – that the Kelly hire is a look at Day's approach toward The Game in 2024 –is not one I had considered until Klatt mentioned it. But it's on the nose.

With Kelly as Ohio State's offensive coordinator and play caller, the Buckeyes' run game should improve. In The Game, the team with the better run game wins. 

According to Eleven Warriors researcher Matt Gutridge, Ohio State is 17-1 vs. Michigan since 2000 when it has run for more yards than the Wolverines. However, when Michigan has run for more yards than Ohio State, the Buckeyes are 0-5 (2003, 2011, 2021, 2022, and 2023).

After three consecutive seasons losing the run game to Michigan, Kelly's love for pounding the rock could be just what the doctor ordered for Day and the Buckeyes, who will face the Wolverines in Columbus on Nov. 30. He'll have Day's trust and support to make sure Ohio State ends The Game with more yards on the ground than Michigan.

 IT’S SHOWTIME. On Tuesday, Marvin Harrison Jr., Miyan Williams, Cade Stover, Matt Jones, Mike Hall, Tommy Eichenberg, Steele Chambers and Josh Proctor received invites to the 2024 NFL Scouting Combine. (Ohio State captain and Block O recipient Xavier Johnson was snubbed – snubbed!)

This week, Dane Brugler of The Athletic named four of those Buckeyes – Harrison, Eichenberg, Hall and Stover – as top-100 prospects in the 2024 class. Here is where he ranked all of them and his breakdown of the Ohio State products:

No. 2 - Marvin Harrison Jr.

It can be difficult to discuss Harrison without sounding hyperbolic, because he grades well above average in most areas. A tall, lean target with the long speed and short-area agility of a smaller player, Harrison displays controlled fluidity in his releases/routes, which allows him to create separation using complex breaks, stem angles and subtle head/body fakes. He has the uncanny ability to slow down the ball with his eyes, expand his catch radius and frame the football to make low-percentage catches appear routine — similar to how Larry Fitzgerald used to excel.

No. 74 - Tommy Eichenberg

An above-average run defender, Eichenberg has quick downfield and lateral-reaction skills, with the physicality to work off blocks and stonewall ball carriers as a tackler. He shows the skill set to be a functional zone-dropper but tends to be late digesting all the routes happening around him, resulting in catches in front of him. The 2023 Big Ten Linebacker of the Year, Eichenberg combined for 200 tackles over the last two seasons.

No. 79 - Mike Hall

Although his box-score stats from last season (two tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks) are unimpressive, Hall had the second-best pass rush win rate (18.3 percent) among all defensive tackles, behind only Byron Murphy II. With his first-step burst and lateral agility, Hall quickly gets vertical and is a tough player to handle one-on-one. He uses his long arms and natural leverage to work underneath blocks, but his lack of size and anchor put him in compromised positions, especially against the run.

No. 94 - Cade Stover

A dominant rebounder on the AAU circuit in high school, Stover makes clean grabs outside his frame and has the body control and focus for quick in-air adjustments, even with bodies around him. As a blocker, he too often falls off his man and needs to be a better finisher, but the toughness and tools are there for him to continue getting better in this area. Stover is solid in all phases.

Outside of Harrison – one of the best NFL draft prospects ever – Eichenberg, Hall and Stover will each have a chance to improve their draft stock at the combine, and so will Williams, Jones, Chambers and Proctor. I will watch how each former Buckeye performs at Lucas Oil Stadium with great interest.

Speaking of Lucas Oil Stadium, that's a place the Buckeyes have sent several prospects to in recent years, according to program spokesperson Jerry Emig:

The 2024 corps increases the number of Buckeyes who have been invited to the combine to 94 over the last 12 seasons, including a nations-best 77 the last nine seasons. @OhioStateFB has had three or more players at all nine positions invited to the combine the last 12 years.

— Jerry Emig (@BuckeyeNotes) February 13, 2024

#DevelopedHere.

 BRACKETOLOGY. The Ohio State women's basketball team is one of the best teams in America. Ranked second behind South Carolina in the latest AP Poll, the Buckeyes are 21-3 and lead the Big Ten with a 12-1 record in conference competition.

This week, Charlie Creme of ESPN revealed a Women's Bracketology for the NCAA Tournament. Ohio State checked in as a No. 1 seed and received matchups with Norfolk State in the Round of 64, Duke or Marquette in the Round of 32 and Utah, Vanderbilt, Maryland, Louisville or Fairfield in the Sweet 16.

Sabrina Merchant of The Athletic also ranks Ohio State as the No. 1 seed in her look ahead to the Big Dance:

Michigan State’s Big Ten resume is littered with almosts. A 5-point loss to Nebraska, 3-point defeat to Iowa and another 3-point defeat at Indiana among them. The Spartans haven’t quite gotten over the hump, but it’s hard to blow them out.

Unless, of course, you’re Ohio State, because everything is turning up Buckeyes. The Cornhuskers’ win earlier Sunday gave Ohio State a chance to claim sole possession of first place in the Big Ten, and the Buckeyes seized the opportunity. They wrecked Michigan State in East Lansing, building a 33-point lead before easing up in the final period despite Cotie McMahon’s scoring only 5 points. Instead, Celeste Taylor led the way with 20, followed closely by Rebeka Mikulášiková’s 19 and another 18 from Jacy Sheldon.

But offense has never been a problem for Ohio State. Where the Buckeyes can struggle is defensively, especially in the half court when opposing teams break through their pressure. The Spartans, who boast the nation’s 11th-best offensive rating, per Her Hoop Stats, should have given Ohio State some difficulty. At home, they average 89 points and 23 assists while shooting over 50 percent from the field. Through three quarters against the Buckeyes (given that the fourth was essentially extended garbage time), they had 47 points and 10 assists while making 43 percent of their field goals. Michigan State had also exceeded its average turnover allotment of 11 by giving away the ball 16 times with 10 minutes to play.

Ohio State is best when it is disruptive, and that has been the case during its 11-game winning streak. The Buckeyes are forcing turnovers on a quarter of opposing possessions and blocking 11 percent of field goals. Even if opponents shoot well from the field, they’re not getting many opportunities.

The turned-up Buckeyes will have a chance to continue their late-season success when Ohio State hosts Nebraska at Value City Arena on Wednesday. The Cornhuskers will come to Columbus after a comeback win over Iowa on Sunday.

Catch The #2 ranked Ohio State Buckeyes in action this Wednesday at 7PM vs Nebraska at The Schott pic.twitter.com/7A6gq2zKu7

— Ohio State WBB (@OhioStateWBB) February 12, 2024

After Ohio State faces Nebraska, it will have four regular-season contests left in 2023-24: Penn State on Feb. 22 (in State College), Maryland on Feb. 25, Michigan on Feb. 28 and Iowa on March 3 (in Iowa City).

The Buckeyes can beat the Huskers and the rest of those opponents. In fact, aside from the Iowa game, Ohio State should be favored in all of those contests. And I'll take Ohio State in every single one.

 SONG OF THE DAY. “Side By Side” - The Meltdown.

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