Skull Session: Anniversary of Matt Sylvester's Shot, the Buckeyes Have a Lot of Linebackers, and Miyan Williams Likes Being Called “Fat Boy”

By Kevin Harrish on March 6, 2020 at 4:59 am
David is here in today's skull session.
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Happy Friday, folks.

I think it's safe to say our fearless leader has aged gracefully.

Song of the Day: "No Hard Feeligs" by The Avett Brothers.

Word of the Day: Harried.

 HAPPY ANNIVERSARY! To add a little salt to the wound, we get to follow up a glorious comeback victory over Illinois with the 15th anniversary of this shot:

Personally, I wish Matt Sylvester could have suited up in his current state last night because the Buckeyes were 3-for-14 from three without him. But who needs a three when E.J. Liddell is playing like Karl Malone?

 OVERFLOWING LINEBACKERS ROOM. Ohio State finds itself with significantly more talented linebackers than it knows what to do with (a good problem to have!). So now, as karaoke superstar Andy Anders of The Lantern explains, Al Washington's gotta be a little creative with how he gets the most out of all of them.

“Creativity” was the primary word used by Ohio State linebackers coach Al Washington Wednesday to describe how the coaching staff will handle his position room.

Seven linebackers — all former four- and five-star recruits, all with at least two years of experience under their respective belts, all of whom have seen meaningful snaps in the past for the Buckeyes — will be vying for time on the depth chart in 2020.

Ohio State uses a defense that plays a maximum of three linebackers at a time, with the exception of an occasional 4-4 look against traditionalist Big Ten foes, such as Wisconsin, that feature run-heavy offenses.

Finding playing time for seven linebackers in the Ohio State defense will require ingenuity from its coaching staff, and positional flexibility from its players.

“The way I look at it, the first two teams, those are all [starters],” Washington said. “We’ve gotta feel confident. We have to do a really good job of trying to create roles, think outside, maybe, the conventional defense, and put guys in roles so that they can do what they do best.”

I mean, there's no law against putting seven linebackers on the field at once. Give me that 2-7-2 defense. I don't know what the hell it would even look like, but it's worth a shot.

In all seriousness, linebackers are generally the most versatile athletes on the entire defense. If there's any position in modern football where it's beneficial to have more than the standard number, it's this one.

I'm sure Washington will figure something out.

 “FAT BOY” IT IS. Miyan Williams has spoken – "Fat Boy" stays.

You see, when he posted a before and after photo of his absurd body transformation, I made the audacious suggestion that he would need a new nickname, as he is decidedly no longer a fat boy.

I was wrong. It was a bad suggestion, and I apologize from the bottom of my heart.

Fat Boy has spoken.

I look forward to a rousing chorus of "Fat Boy! Fat Boy! Fat Boy!" from the congregation at the concrete cathedral on the Olentangy after he caps off a 250-yard rushing performance with a trip to the end zone

 SURVIVED AND ADVANCED. Chris Holtmann's squad ain't the only Buckeye basketball team who notched a big win yesterday.

The women's hoops team opened the Big Ten Tournament with a 21-point victory over Minnesota, silencing the Gophers with a 14-0 run in the fourth quarter.

The Buckeyes now advance to the quarterfinals to take on No. 3 seed Iowa tonight at 8:50 p.m. as they look to avenge a road loss from earlier in the season.

Regardless of what happens in the Big Ten Tournament though, Ohio State is safely in the NCAA Tournament field.

 SLOPPY!? Jeff Okudah isn't gonna let this one go, and nor should he.

After publicly rebuking an embarrassingly ill-prepared reporter (who has somehow still remained anonymous), the top corner in the draft is still having a little fun with it.

Honestly, it's a solid move. Ride that that wave, Jefe. Turn his jackassery into your gain. I'm surprised there aren't tee shirts printed yet.

 NOT STICKING TO SPORTS. Why our seas are suddenly swimming with drug-running narcosubs... A designer created a $3,300 composting toilet with a view that fertilizes its own roof garden, dubbing it the "Temple of Poop"... Cops took a seized SUV for a joyride, but the owner tracked the car and locked them inside for 3 hours... How a homeless man built a life underground... She hid from the mafia for decades, and now she helps people fight back.

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