Skull Session: Slob Toughness, Holtmann Blogs, and Scouting Grimes

By D.J. Byrnes on July 14, 2017 at 4:59 am
Dwayne Haskins looks over the July 14 2017 Skull Session
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It's Friday, folks. Let's go!

ICYMI:

Word of the Day: Vulpine.

 SLOBS GET PHYSICAL. When we look back at the 2014 championship, the first thing we envision is Ezekiel Elliott parting Alabama like Moses dumping the Red Sea.

The second thing we envision is the Slobs putting the enemies of Ohio into the dirt.

While that has happened in the past two seasons at times, the Slobs have never reached the apotheosis achieved during that magical 2014 run. To return to that level, they understand they need to get back to their roots, which is mauling people.

From theozone.net:

“The Big Ten is the most physical conference in college football, so you’ve got to bring your lunch pail every day,” left tackle Jamarco Jones said in the spring. “You’ve got to go to work. It’s going to be a physical battle every game no matter who you’re playing against. Whether it’s a team below .500 or a team competing for a Big Ten championship. Every game you’ve got to bring it.”

But it’s not just physical toughness that is required.

“We can go on and on about this one,” center Billy Price said. “As a program, we have to be the forefront of this program. As you saw in games that we struggled as a team, the offensive line struggled. Games that we absolutely dominate and blow people out, the offensive line is dominating and blowing people out. You have to be tough."

What's funny is I feel confident in the Slobs returning to form despite Billy Price having never played a snap at center and question marks in the two spots to the right of him.

Is that cheating? Because being an Ohio State fan feels like cheating.

 HOLTMANN OWNS BLOGGER. Chris Holtmann had the audacity to leave his old job for a more prestigious and better-paying one. Usually in America this is lauded with "Congratulations!" But sports fans have come to feel ownership over their coaches and players.

When Holtmann departed Butler, butlerhoops.com said the manner in which he did "left his integrity in question."

Little did they know Holtmann would get wind of it and demand a sit down to clear the air.

From butlerhoops.com:

Explain the timeline for your negotiations with Ohio State. When in the process did you send out the now infamous tweet and what changed after you sent it?

"I was contacted on Tuesday morning. The search firm called again that afternoon and offered the job contingent upon a meeting with the OSU AD. I spoke with Gene Smith briefly over the phone on Wednesday morning and he asked if we could meet. I told him I wasn't ready or prepared to meet. Later in the day I told the search firm I was leaning toward staying at Butler and couldn't meet. 

On Wednesday night when I sent the tweet out that was based on the decision I had made at that time. It was ill timed and regrettable. I certainly wish I hadn't sent it. I simply changed my mind after sleeping on the decision. I was contacted early Thursday AM and asked if I would reconsider. I made the final decision late on Thursday night."

The tweet in question was this:

The lesson here, as always, is to never tweet. But anybody who tweets that hasn't regretted a single one is a liar.

Holtmann also detailed how 2017 four-star forward Kyle Young ended up in Columbus instead of Indianapolis. 

The Indianapolis Star reported that you said you wanted Butler to keep the recruiting class together. Is that accurate, and if so, why did you end up recruiting Kyle Young to Ohio State? 

"Yes. I did say that. I think if you look at previous situations, to maintain 80% of your recruiting class is a major success and a real credit to LaVall, his staff and the process. Kyle's situation was unique given his family situation, his relationship with Ryan and myself over the last 2 years, the fact that he was very seriously considering Ohio State before, as well as the fact that he lives so close. Kyle made it very clear to me when I told him I was leaving that he probably wasn't coming to Butler and there was almost no chance if Ryan wasn't named head coach. I told him to see the process through with Butler with an open mind. I'm not sure if people fully understand, given his family situation, how close that relationship became, and that's fine. Some people will get that, some won't."

Butler fans would understand the pull of the in-state power program if they cheered for an in-state power program.

Props to Holtmann for settling the score. That's an alpha male move, and we can no longer rule out a Final Four run in March.

 A LOOK AHEAD. Freshmen receivers don't traditionally dominate college football—certainly not at Ohio State.

But four-star Trevon Grimes is an intriguing mix of skills, despite coming off ACL surgery last fall. He will be healthy for fall camp, and he might bring a skill set not found anywhere else in the receiving corps. 

From dynastyfootballfactory.com:

He maintains a good stance with his shoulders square to the line of scrimmage while using quick, aggressive hand use to fight off man coverage. Grimes is very good at attacking the technique of the defensive back using the shoulder to shoulder rule to gain leverage quickly.

[...]

His speed adds to an arsenal of tools that he can use to beat any coverage. His eyes stay focused and he knows exactly where he is throughout his vertical stem. Once he is behind the defender, he has the breakaway speed to take it to the end zone every time.

[...]

An underrated aspect of his game is his lateral quickness and blocking. 
Grimes has a long frame and for most that would make it difficult to change direction quickly. While he doesn’t have the best ability to sink hips, for his size, I came away impressed with how elusive he can be. He identifies the oncoming defender and exercises excellent ankle flexion and body gestures to deceive the defender and elude the initial tackle. Grimes’s underrated ability to change direction fluidly allows him to be effective in comeback routes as shown.

I would pay all the money in my bank account—that's right, all 63 cents—for a receiver capable of regularly toasting defensive backs. It might be the bigger missing piece these last two years than offensive line physicality.

 COMMIT WATCH. Five-star tight end Jeremy Ruckert commits on Monday, and odds are he'll be the newest member of the 2018 Ohio State recruiting class.

If it comes to pass, the Buckeyes will be getting a good one:


If Ruckert commits and Ohio State doesn't throw him the ball, I'll concede the Buckeyes will never heavily involve their tight end in the offense.

 DONTRE WILSON RIDES AGAIN. Dontre Wilson, the famous running back from DeSoto, Texas, isn't done playing football just yet.

From @flofootball on Instagram:

via @FloFootball (Instagram)

You might be asking yourself, "What in tarnation is the Spring League?" Glad you asked a question in a way that allowed me to further advance my point.

From thespringleague.com:

The Spring League was created in early 2016 to serve as an instructional league and developmental platform for professional football talent. The League conducts practices and "live" exhibition games that are played in accordance to NFL rules. Our teaching staffs are composed exclusively of individuals with NFL coaching experience. On field practices and games are supplemented with classroom instruction and film study.

The Spring League also functions as a scouting event for NFL and CFL teams. During the 2017 season, 10 NFL teams, along with 2 CFL teams, attended both practices and games to evaluate talent. To date, over 20 NFL teams have requested practice and game film from The Spring League's 2017 season.

Can't wait until Wilson wins a Super Bowl with the Browns as a dynamic slot receiver. By my count, we're only seven months away from that vision becoming reality.

 THOSE WMDs. An ode to mayonnaise... When you should (and shouldn't) share your location using your smartphone... Pandora is melting down... The $5 bump of cocaine that destroyed an Olympic dream... It's cruel to laugh at Floyd Mayweather's reading problems.

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