Skull Session: Kirk Herbstreit Warns Ohio State That “Dealing With Unrealistic Expectations is Dangerous” and Golf Becomes A Pastime for the Buckeyes

By Chase Brown on July 26, 2024 at 5:00 am
Emeka Egbuka
Adam Cairns / USA TODAY Sports
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Welcome to the Skull Session.

Ohio State doesn't have RB1 and RB2. It has RB1 and RB1.

Have a good Friday.

 “CAN THEY KEEP A CHIP ON THEIR SHOULDER?” Before, during and after Ryan Day, Emeka Egbuka, Jack Sawyer and Denzel Burke’s appearance at Big Ten Media Days this week, the popular conversation surrounding Ohio State football revolves around two words: expectations and pressure.

With one of the best rosters in college football, the Buckeyes are a preseason favorite to win the Big Ten title and one of the four favorites to win the College Football Playoff national championship, along with Georgia, Texas and Oregon. 

Those expectations have put pressure on Ohio State – the kind of pressure Day calls a “privilege,” echoing the words of C.J. Stroud. Still, former Ohio State quarterback and current ESPN college football analyst Kirk Herbstreit shared a warning with Day and the Buckeyes this week: “Dealing with unrealistic expectations is dangerous.”

“You know how dangerous it is in Columbus, let alone the nation, when you’re getting pats on the back. I think that will be Ryan Day’s biggest challenge. They might win a game 23-17 and instead of being happy, it’s gonna be, ‘What’s wrong with the quarterback? What’s wrong with this? What’s wrong with that? This team’s supposed to be the best ever.’ Dealing with unrealistic expectations is dangerous. I’ve heard (Emeka Egbuka, Jack Sawyer and Denzel Burke) talk at (Big Ten Media Days), and I heard a lot of the same stuff about, ‘Hey, we came back.’ Denzel Burke talked about coming back because they wanted to beat Michigan and they wanted to win a national championship. You like to hear those team goals that are at the forefront of their minds and kind of the focus of what they’re trying to accomplish. 

“The thing they’re gonna have to figure out as far as this team is the quarterback. Will Howard is expected to be the guy coming over from Kansas State. He was gonna be in a battle himself if had he stayed in Manhattan. You have Devin Brown there and you have a young freshman there in Julian Sayin. They’re talented, but until you see it and the pieces come together, you wait to evaluate with Chip Kelly calling plays now until you see it get going. Truthfully, they have two games on their schedule — maybe three — that make you scratch your head and wonder: Can they go on the road to Eugene and win? Can they go to Penn State and win? Can they beat Michigan after losing three straight? 

“It’s dealing with all of that outside noise. It’s all the pats on the back. Can they keep a chip on their shoulder? Which quarterback do they settle on? Ultimately, those will be some of the questions surrounding them.”

The Buckeyes cannot allow outside noise to distract them. They cannot let criticism lead them to despair or “pats on the back” lead them to pride. In Ohio State's pursuit of its three goals – beating Michigan, winning a Big Ten title and winning a national championship – the team must become… incorruptible. That’s no small task. But it will be necessary if the coaches, players and staff wish to etch their names in college football history.

 “HE'S A GREAT DUDE.” In an episode of "Hard Knocks" two weeks ago, HBO showed a conversation between Marvin Harrison Jr. and New York Giants coaches. As Harrison and the coaches watched the former Ohio State wide receiver's film, one remarked that Kyle McCord made a "s— throw" to Harrison, goading him to complain about McCord or throw him under the bus.

Harrison declined.

"I don't say nothing to QBs. I don't say nothing to QBs," Harrison said.

At ACC Media Days on Thursday, David Hale of ESPN asked McCord about the conversation, which became a viral video on social media. McCord told Hale that he and Harrison – once high school teammates at St. Joseph's Prep and, of course, college teammates at Ohio State – texted after the Hard Knocks episode debuted and shared a laugh. He later thanked Harrison for his professionalism given the circumstances.

"Nobody's gonna be more critical of how I played last year than myself. Marvin handled the question well. He's a great dude," McCord said. "He never came back to the huddle and said, 'Hey, I was open on that.' He was very humble and you'd never know he was the best receiver in college football the way he acted."

Marvin Harrison Jr. is a great dude, which I find awesome considering he plays a position that has a diva stereotype.

We need more Marvin Harrison Jr.'s in the world – and on the Ohio State football team, if possible.

 JUST TAP IT IN. The Buckeye football team took up another sport this offseason, one known for legends such as Ohio State legend Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer, Sam Snead, Ben Hogan and Gary Player. Yes, this offseason, the Buckeye football team took up golf.

"The majority of guys on the team golf now, so now everyone has someone to golf with," Burke said on Tuesday.

What do the players love about life on the links?

"It's the competitive nature of us trying to conquer a game that's so hard," Burke said.

Emeka Egbuka is the best golfer on Ohio State's roster — or so he said on Tuesday, claiming he has a 6.6 handicap. (A lot of people called BS on Egbuka's handicap, including Day, but a source told me this week that Egbuka has had frequent lessons with a club professional at New Albany Country Club this summer, so I am inclined to believe it).

Egbuka named Howard, Lincoln Kienholz and Toby Wilson as Buckeyes who can compete with him. I laughed when he did not name Sawyer or Burke, who I am sure would take offense to that.

"Denzel is someone whose game's not all the way there yet, but he plays the most out of anybody," Egbuka said. "He's gonna be really good soon."

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

You know the drill.

This was looooooooooong overdue, but the Ohio State marching band invited Buckeye legend Archie Griffin – college football's only two-time Heisman Trophy winner – to dot the 'i' during halftime of the Ohio State football season opener with Akron on Aug. 31.

Tickets are still available for Ohio State's first four practices (Aug. 1-4) at the Woody Hayes Athletic Center. Tickets for the practices cost $50 a piece and include a pair of commemorative sunglasses and access to the family-friendly Fanfest.

Ohio State's players received some new cleats before the 2024 season. Walk-on defensive lineman Caden Davis showed them off on Thursday.

That's all, folks!

 SONG OF THE DAY. "Wake Me Up" - Avicii.

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Ohio State Buckeyes safety Lathan Ransom (8) celebrates with cornerback Jordan Hancock (7) after Ransom intercepted a pass in the second half at Ohio Stadium on Saturday, Nov. 9, 2024 in Columbus, Ohio.
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