Skull Session: Urban Meyer Challenges Assistants to Get Better, Ohio State (-5) at Penn State, and The Freshman-Sophomore Jump

By D.J. Byrnes on July 9, 2018 at 4:59 am
Johnnie Dixon pushes up for the July 9 2018 Skull Session
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It's sad to realize at 31 I will never be as talented as this phenom:

Shine on, young fella. May the world never damper your talents.

ICYMI:

​Word of the Day: Mien.

 MAKING THE TRAINS RUN ON TIME. It takes more than an understanding of football schematics to attain the heights of Urban Meyer. At that level, it's just as much about an ability to manage a program as it is coaching players on Saturdays.

Part of the reason Meyer succeeds on the CEO side is a relentless attention to detail and always demanding more of his subordinates.

From Tim May of The Columbus Dispatch:

“Anytime you get challenged, especially the coaches we have here, you want to ... silence that,” Smith said. “The coaches we have here, they’re elite. Guys like (defensive coordinator) Greg Schiano and (offensive coordinator) Ryan Day — those guys are used to being the best of the best, and their units being the best of the best, and if it’s ever challenged at all, it’s like, ‘No, no, no, not my group. This is the expectation, and we’re going to get it there.’ ”

Everyone on the OSU staff is considered a self-starter, but Smith acknowledged that every one of them benefit from reflection.

“You always need that step back occasionally where you ask yourself, ‘Are we doing the best things to get the most out of our players? Is there a better way to do it?’ ” he said. “And the best thing coach Meyer does as a head coach is he challenges us and inspires innovation. He’s the best in the country at doing that.”

Sadly, mediocre bosses across America are going to read that and start delegating even more to their already overworked employees.

It works for Meyer because he demands the same standards of himself and he previously performed admirably doing grunt-work in his profession. Most bosses can't say the same.

 BUCKS FAVORED TO WIN (GO FIGURE). Ohio State should be favored in every regular season game this season. The one question was that trip to Happy Valley on Sept. 29.

It appears the only way the Buckeyes won't be favored against the Nittany Lions will be if they lose to Texas Christian. 

Five would be about as high as I would give in the middle of July. If OSU throws TCU in the recycling bin, however, 

 FRESHMAN–SOPHOMORE LEAP. John Cooper always used to say if a dog is going to bite he'll do it as a puppy. At Ohio State, any player who doesn't secure significant playing time by their sophomore is in danger of getting recruited over.

Players that perform as freshmen and then make a leap the following the year project the best.

From theozone.net:

“I think it varies, but the common adage may be between year one and two,” Ohio State co-defensive coordinator Alex Grinch said this spring. “And I certainly think there’s a lot of truth in that. I think a lot of times it stems from what takes place over that calendar year.”

...

However, for the players who maybe only see time on special teams, there are tremendous benefits in simply regularly being involved on the field, even if it’s not on offense or defense.

“For some guys, the benefit of playing on special teams or something like that, to get on the field and be in the arena, you get a feel for a game day and what that can then lead to the following year,” Grinch said. “So if that was your role as a freshman, that can lead to a comfort level going into year two where you have a chance at that point to see your role expand."

My two picks play the same position: Jeffrey Okudah and Kendall Sheffield. I realized Sheffield came from Alabama and JUCO, but he's entering his second year in Columbus. He should take a similar jump as anyone else.

 CAN'T FOOTBALL MOVE A COP, BRO. An Upper Iowa University football player committed a crime this weekend when he injured a cop's knee while performing a football move:

From press-citizen.com:

Police found Ellis standing over a male that was knocked out and on the ground. When police made contact with Ellis, he started to run away. Police chased him and finally caught him. 

When the police tried to take Ellis into custody, he then allegedly pushed an officer to the ground, injuring the officer's knee and tearing the officer's pants. According to the police complaint, Ellis refereed to the push as a "football move." 

Police found Ellis to be intoxicated. After his arrest, he was found to have a .142 blood alcohol level. 

Advice: Don't assault cops. But also, if you do, don't do it while drunk and claim it to be a "football move." 

 LARBON DISRESPECTED. A Larbon Jim mural in Los Angeles was defaced almost as soon as it went up, which obviously means the entire city is unworthy of the Kang's services:

The resemblance to Greg Oden remains uncanny. And yes, it was quickly fixed:

 THOSE WMDs. In praise of being washed... A work of art... Seriously, juice is not healthy... Know when birds think you're too close to their nests... Why are hotel light switches so difficult?

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