Welcome to the Skull Session.
Ohio State's spring football practices start today.
Today is a good day.
Theres just something about a Columbus sunrise pic.twitter.com/AFJc3e8MGI
— Ohio State Football (@OhioStateFB) March 4, 2024
Word of the Day: Grateful.
FIVE PLAYERS TO WATCH. Before Ohio State starts practice on Tuesday, I wanted to share a list of players that I will watch closely over the next month-and-a-half. The list includes one quarterback, one running back, two wide receivers and one safety. I expect them all to play a pivotal role in the Buckeyes' quest for a Big Ten championship and national title in 2024.
Will Howard
Howard will spend his first offseason at Ohio State in a quarterback competition with Devin Brown, Lincoln Kienholz and – to a lesser extent – Air Noland and Julian Sayin.
Howard is the most experienced of the bunch, coming to Columbus after throwing for 5,786 yards and 48 touchdowns across 34 appearances at Kansas State. Still, Ryan Day and Chip Kelly won’t hand him the keys to the Ohio State offense without the 6-foot-5, 242-pound quarterback proving he’s a better option than Brown and Kienholz. I’m eager to see if he’s up to the task.
Quinshon Judkins
Judkins comes to Ohio State after back-to-back seasons as a first-team All-SEC running back for Ole Miss. In 26 appearances as a freshman and sophomore, he recorded 545 carries for 2,725 yards and 31 touchdowns. He also collected 37 receptions for 281 yards and three scores as a receiver out of the backfield.
In Columbus, Judkins will work in tandem with TreVeyon Henderson, one of the best ballcarriers in America when at full strength. That combination makes me excited. Very excited. Like, I haven’t been this excited for an Ohio State backfield since Dan Herron and Brandon Saine – affectionately known as Boom and Zoom – ran wild in the late 2000s.
Emeka Egbuka
With Marvin Harrison Jr. (and Xavier Johnson) headed to the NFL and Julian Fleming now at Penn State, Egbuka is Ohio State’s lone returning starter at wide receiver. The Buckeyes’ departures create openings that could see Egbuka transition from a slot receiver to an X or Y, though such a move could depend on the development of young stars like Brandon Inniss and Jeremiah Smith.
Jeremiah Smith
The No. 1 overall prospect in the 2024 class, Smith arrives in Columbus after collecting 177 receptions for 3,116 yards and 46 touchdowns in the past three seasons for Chaminade-Madonna Prep in Hollywood, Florida. At 6-foot-3, 200 pounds, Smith has the size – and by all accounts, the physicality – to make an instant impact for the Buckeyes. It wouldn’t surprise me if Smith becomes the first freshman to shed his black stripe in 2024, following in the footsteps of fellow wide receiver Carnell Tate in 2023.
Caleb Downs
Downs’ former Alabama teammates have called him “generational” and think he’ll be a “top-five pick in a couple of years.” I do not doubt that those claims will come true. A 6-foot, 203-pound defensive back, Downs led the Crimson Tide defense in snaps last season… as a freshman. He recorded 107 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss, two interceptions and four pass breakups in 14 appearances, winning the 2023 Shaun Alexander Freshman of the Year award and receiving second-team All-American honors. As sure a thing as sure things can be, I cannot wait to see Downs in an Ohio State uniform – albeit a practice uniform – this spring.
Honorable Mentions
- Sonny Styles
- Brandon Inniss
- Seth McLaughlin
- Luke Montgomery
“IT’S A LONG ROAD TO NEXT YEAR.” Before the Buckeyes start spring practice on Tuesday, Ryan Day appeared on 97.1 The Fan’s “Morning Juice” with Brandon Beam and Bobby Carpenter to discuss Ohio State’s offseason coaching moves, roster additions and more.
Here’s a YouTube video (with audio) of the appearance and a transcription of what Day shared with Beam and Carpenter. Note that Day is fresh off of his second Buckeye Cruise for Cancer. His answers are much longer than they are for our more regular press conferences at the Woody because he is well-rested. That's my guess, at least.
On Ohio State’s roster additions in 2024
“The story is (more) about the guys coming back. I know some of the high-profile recruits or transfer portal guys we’ve brought in get everybody excited, but to me, it’s the guys who decided to come back for their senior year and want to accomplish some goals that we’ve set here. They’ve come back with a look in their eye.
“We know it’s a long road to next year. But what we’ve done is put together that leadership group like we’ve done each year, and they’ve been a big part of that. It’s been leadership and senior-driven. We’ve integrated some of these guys. We think long and hard about bringing guys into the program. It’s a very prideful program. You don’t just walk into Ohio State and think you’re gonna play. I think it’s been very good. I think the guys have embraced the new faces, the newcomers. But to me, it’s the guys that have come back. These guys are veteran. They’ve been through a lot. They’ve been through a lot together. I think the work ethic so far has been extremely noticeable. These guys are fired up to get back on the field.”
On most of Ohio State’s 2021 class coming back for its senior year
“Well, it started with former players and the teams that have come before. It’s important to know where your program has been, and I think ‘The Brotherhood’ has been (talked about) for a long time is real. You don’t come to Ohio State for that – you come for so many other reasons – but once you get here, you stay for your teammates, your coaches and because you’re a Buckeye and you want to accomplish goals.
“That’s really what happened. Some of those guys jumped on early and said, ‘Let’s do this together.’ We were able to make it make sense for them. With some of the things we have going on (with NIL) and the resources we have in the program, some people stepped up in big ways to make that make sense for them. But ultimately, it has to be about unselfishness and wanting to be a part of a team that accomplishes its goals. It’s great to have these guys back.”
On his relationship with Chip Kelly, the philosophies they share
“It was a unique situation for us to get back together like this. First off, I played for him, I worked for him and he’s been a good friend. But we’ve always stayed in touch. He knows what Ohio State is. He’s not coming in blindly. I think the thing that’s been exciting so far is sitting down as an offensive staff and talking through the things he’s done and the things we’ve done here the last six, seven, eight years. We’ve talked about the different quarterbacks we’ve had, the challenges we have, the changes coming ahead, like the playoff system and how it will be more like an NFL season. And then just great schematic conversations.
“That will all evolve. We focus in the spring on developing the individual player. The scheme will be introduced, and guys have to understand how they fit into the scheme. But more importantly, we want to get guys better fundamentally and technically. As we head into the summer, that’s when we start to bring in the schematics and the team of it all. But that being said, so far it’s been great conversation. I think our offensive staff is excited to have a new voice in there and a new perspective. It’s gonna be exciting to wake up every morning and go to work knowing that the offense will have a lot of similarities but also a lot of new things.”
On the importance of depth in the 12-team playoff era
“It’s something I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about, talking with the staff and Mark Pantoni about. We used to go into a season and say, ‘We need a pair and a spare.’ But I think it’s more than that now because of the length of the season. In the NFL, if someone gets hurt, you sign somebody off of waivers. We only get 85 scholarship guys and some walk-ons. You’re gonna have to play depth early in the season. You’re gonna have to build depth early in the season. As those games mount up late in the season – if you do lose guys – guys will have to step up and play. You’re gonna have to play depth. I think that’s critically important. In an ideal world, you’ll be three deep at each position, and part of the first quarter or first half of the season is about building that depth. It’s about getting those guys on the field and getting them quality reps.”
On how Ohio State will handle its crowded quarterback room this spring
“It’s about reps. It’s about putting a body of work together. What I will share with them is that you can’t win the job in one day, two days, three practices. You have to do it over time. What can happen in a situation like this is you want to stand out, so you start to take chances. That’s not gonna help our guys. What we need to do is make sure we’re getting them enough reps. That’s what they want. That’s what they need. They need to go play. We will find creative ways to create as many drills as possible to get them reps.”
From his interview with Clay Hall to his appearance on "Morning Juice," Day has impressed me with his approach toward the 2024 season.
Day knows how much is at stake for Ohio State, and he knows the expectation is for the Buckeyes to win The Game in November, a Big Ten championship in December and the College Football Playoff in January. He seems driven, focused and ready to lead Ohio State to the promised land, a place the Buckeyes have been away from for far too long.
“HE’S A FREAK.” As I mentioned above, I will watch Jeremiah Smith with great interest this spring. So will, like, all of Ohio State’s coaches and players.
While Smith has only been on campus for two months, he’s made some strong impressions on Ryan Day, Will Howard and Emeka Egbuka. Here’s what those three (and even more Buckeyes) have said about the No. 1 overall prospect in the 2024 class since he arrived on campus in January:
Ryan Day on Jeremiah Smith
“He’s jumped right in. You’ve seen the talent. The talent is there. The thing that’s been the most impressive to me so far is the discipline he’s built in his life and the skill of playing the position at such a young age. He and (Brian Hartline) will continue to build on that and grow on that. But he’s had a great approach so far. We are certainly expecting big things from him.”
Will Howard on Jeremiah Smith
“He’s a dude. I haven’t talked to him much yet just because we’ve been in different groups lifting and stuff. But man, he’s a specimen. I mean, that dude is a freak show when it comes to physical. I’m excited to see him out on the field in live action.”
Devin Brown on Jeremiah Smith
“He’s a freak. He’s gonna be next level. I mean, that guy handles things the right way and does everything right in the weight room. I was throwing with him yesterday and every time I throw to him it’s like, “Geez, this kid’s a stud. He’s gonna be a freak.’ … He’s super smooth. He’s super athletic. He’s a big kid. He can snag it literally anywhere. He was making a couple of one-handers yesterday, and I was like, ‘Wow.’ The kid is just freaky.”
Emeka Egbuka on Jeremiah Smith
“Freak. Freak athlete. One of the quietest dudes I have ever met. He’s not a man of too many words, but he came in, put his head down and he worked. I say this all the time to the freshmen who come in, but all you have to do as a freshman is shut up and listen. You just have to shut up, put your head down and work. That’s something he understands. … There’s nothing he can’t do. He runs fast. He jumps high. He’s strong. He’s a natural pass-catcher. I mean, yeah, he’s a freak. … He’s very coachable. He’s always willing to listen. He always puts his best foot forward every single day. He hates to lose. He’s a competitor, which is huge, especially in Zone 6. I think he has a bright future here.”
Air Noland on Jeremiah Smith
“I’m very impressed. Jeremiah is a good football player and a good person, man. Jeremiah is chill and laid back. A lot of people have misconceptions about him, but he’s a good man, a good person. I love what he brings to the table and what he brings to Ohio State.”
To think, Ohio State loses Marvin Harrison Jr., its greatest receiver of all time, but it still has Egbuka, an All-Big Ten receiver; Carnell Tate and Brandon Inniss, two players poised for sophomore breakouts; and Smith, a made-ready freshman who could start in the season opener.
It's great to be Wide Receiver U.
It really is.
IT’S IN THE GAME. Over 10,000 college football players (but NOT Arch Manning) have already opted in for EA Sports College Football 25, the new college video game set to launch this summer, which will feature the athletes compensated with NIL deals.
10k and counting... pretty pretttyyy good #CFB25 pic.twitter.com/RrO88VWjWM
— EASPORTSCollege (@EASPORTSCollege) March 4, 2024
By surpassing 10,000 opt-ins, EA Sports has reached 87% of its goal for the game, which will feature teams with 85-man rosters.
"The response to the athlete opt-in opportunity for EA Sports College Football 25 has been phenomenal," Daryl Holt, senior vice president for EA Sports' Tiburon Studios and American football division, said in a statement to ESPN. "In the little over one week, over 10,000 athletes across the FBS have opted-in to the offer with more saying 'yes' every hour. We're excited to welcome more athletes in the weeks ahead and to debut this first class of athletes in the game when it launches this summer."
Oh, yeah, it's all coming together...
Just a few more months until the roads to glory and the dynasties begin again.
SONG OF THE DAY. “Super Freak” - Rick James.
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