Skull Session: Sherrone Moore “Looks Forward” to Release of Connor Stalions Text Messages and Jim Boeheim Calls Kyle McCord “Certainly Good Enough” for Syracuse

By Chase Brown on August 15, 2024 at 5:00 am
Tyleik Williams
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Welcome to the Skull Session.

You know the rules: If I see a Ted Ginn Jr. post on social media, I share.

Have a good Thursday.

 TURNING THE CORNER. Last week, Ohio State football news came out of a firehose. The Buckeyes started preseason camp, and Eleven Warriors attended four practices. We also had press conferences with head coach Ryan Day, defensive coordinator Jim Knowles, the quarterbacks, the running backs, the linebackers, Day (a second time), the wide receivers and the cornerbacks. Then, after those final interviews with the pass catchers and pass defenders, the stream of #content ended.

After a quieter start to this week, Ohio State will welcome us back to the Woody Hayes Athletic Center this afternoon for press conferences with Day, Knowles and offensive coordinator Chip Kelly. That means the #content will be back in full force – perhaps even some about Will Howard as the Buckeyes' QB1? – and should continue into next week when we speak with the tight ends, the safeties, the defensive line and the offensive line.

Oh, and then it's GAME WEEK.

That means "Buckeye Roundtable" on Monday, a Day press conference on Tuesday, player interviews on Wednesday, "The Ryan Day Radio Show" on Thursday and more – all before Ohio State demolishes Akron on Aug. 31.

The 2024 season opener is around the corner, dear reader, a corner we will turn fast and furious in the next two weeks. Make sure to follow and subscribe to Eleven Warriors on Instagram, Facebook, X and YouTube for all the news and notes before (and after) Ohio State's championship run starts.

 CAREFUL WHAT YOU WISH FOR. On Tuesday, Michigan head coach Sherrone Moore said he's not worried about text messages he sent to Connor Stalions being released to the world. In fact, he welcomes it.

Last week, ESPN reported details from an NCAA Notice of Allegations draft related to the Stalions case. Among them was evidence that states Moore deleted 52 text messages between him and Stalions soon after media reports revealed the former Michigan staffer created and operated the Wolverines' sign-stealing operation. Moore could face a show-cause penalty and a suspension for his alleged actions.

"We're cooperating with the NCAA fully. (We) have in the past (and) will in the future. We will continue to do that," Moore said. "Right now, it's an ongoing case, and we need to preserve the confidentiality of the proceedings."

While Moore implied he didn't want to speak about it, the first-year head coach was asked to comment on his involvement in the Stalions case. He offered a short response.

"I look forward to them being released," he said of the texts. "That's it."

Later, Moore added, "When you're at the bottom, they don't respect you. When you're in the middle, they ignore you. When you're at the top, they hate you. So for us, we're just gonna keep rolling."

Amazing... every word of what he just said was wrong... 

When Michigan is at the bottom, Ohio State hates them.

When Michigan is in the middle, Ohio State hates them.

When Michigan is on top, Ohio State hates them.

Ohio State will stop Michigan's roll this season, ending the Wolverines' three-year run of terror over the Buckeyes. That run started because Jim Harbaugh couldn't beat Ohio State fair and square, a truth that led him to lie, cheat and steal while seeking help from a man so obsessed with Michigan that he wrote a manifesto.

This fall, it's not revenge Ohio State's after, it's a reckoning...

See you in November, Sherrone.

 "HE'S CERTAINLY GOOD ENOUGH FOR US." Former Syracuse men's basketball head coach Jim Boeheim appeared on the ACC Network Monday to discuss the Orange football program. In his interview, Boeheim expressed excitement for 2024, a year he believes new head coach Fran Brown can make Syracuse a top-25 team in college football.

"They are excited," Boeheim said. "That's a big part of football. Get excited and want to play. I think they're gonna surprise some people. I'll go out on that limb. I'm excited for this season."

One of the main reasons Boeheim wants to see Orange football this season is former Ohio State quarterback Kyle McCord. The former five-star recruit transferred to Syracuse this offseason after three years with the Buckeyes. As a 12-game starter in 2023, McCord threw for 3,170 yards, 24 touchdowns and six interceptions.

"He may not be good enough for Ohio State, but he's certainly good enough for us," Boeheim said. "I've watched him practice. He can throw the football. They've brought in a bunch of people that can play."

In the Eleven Warriors Forum this week, Winning For Lack of a Better Word is Good – a username that I think references the Gordon Gekko (Michael Douglas) "Greed is Good" scene from Wall Street – created a thread titled "My Unpopular Opinion of Kyle McCord." He argued McCord was a "solid if unspectacular quarterback last year," the kind several Ohio State teams won Big Ten titles with.

I tend to agree with that sentiment.

However, I also agree with Boeheim.

All things considered, McCord was not good enough for Ohio State – or, at least, he was not good enough for Ryan Day. There's a difference between those two statements; however, so long as Day remains the program's head coach, the standard for Buckeye quarterbacks is to be a Heisman Trophy finalist and a first-round pick. McCord didn't meet that standard in his lone season as the starter, and therefore, he was not good enough for Ohio State...

... but he's certainly good enough for Syracuse.

 FREE 91. Senior Bowl executive director Jim Nagy raved over Tyleik Williams this week, promoting videos of the Ohio State defensive tackle's performance against first-round pick Joe Alt and other Notre Dame offensive linemen in the Buckeyes' win over the Irish last season.

While Mason Graham and Kenneth Grant (Michigan), Deone Walker (Kentucky), Walter Nolen (Ole Miss) and Howard Cross III (Notre Dame) will all compete with one another to be the first defensive tackle taken in the 2025 NFL draft, Dane Brugler of The Athletic sees Williams as the second-best defensive tackle prospect behind Graham.

Here's what Brugler wrote about Williams in his "Summer Scouting" series:

What he does best: Run awareness

With his feel for blocking schemes and ability to disengage blocks, Williams is an above-average run defender. He is a stout presence at the point of attack using strong hands to stack, shed and close on the football. Though impressive physically, Williams’ awareness and reads stand out even more.

Must improve: Pass-rush toolbox

Williams has a lot of the ingredients to be a more effective pass rusher. He had just 22 pressures last season, partly because of what he was asked to be in the Ohio State defense. But with Michael Hall Jr. now in the NFL, Williams should see more opportunities to create as a pass rusher in 2024. He has relatively short arms (below 32 inches) and needs to mix up his rush attack to be more efficient.

2024 season/2025 NFL Draft outlook

I spent more time studying Ohio State than any other program this summer, due to the volume of draft-eligible players in Columbus. That was expected. But what I didn’t expect was for Williams to be my favorite NFL prospect of the group. A former four-star recruit, his gap integrity and physicality at the point of attack allowed him to consistently make plays at the line of scrimmage last season, as he finished with 54 tackles and a team-high 10 tackles for loss.

With his reaction to movements and ability to control gaps, Williams can work half-man or through the numbers of opponents. He is terrific against the run, and with more development as a pass rusher, can secure top-25 status in the 2025 NFL Draft.

Top-25 pick Tyleik Williams has a nice ring to it.

 SONG OF THE DAY. "The Mtn Song" - Rayland Baxter.

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