Skull Session: Gene Smith Hesitant of Playoff Games in the 'Shoe, Liam McCullough's Check-In Shirt Lives On, and Von Miller Praises Dre'Mont Jones

By Kevin Harrish on July 28, 2021 at 4:59 am
Liam McCullough's shirt lives on in today's skull session.
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Chris Holtmann, dream crusher.

Word of the Day: Reprehend.

 AFRAID OF A LITTLE COLD? When whispers and rumors of potential home playoff games began to spread, I think it's safe to say that most Buckeye fans got at least a little titillated at the thought of a meaningful December or January playoff game in a packed Ohio Stadium, especially if it's against a school that never sees temperatures below 30 on the regular.

Unfortunately, Gene Smith does not exactly share our excitement.

“I just think we ought to look at our reality,” said Smith, “and our reality is in the northern part of the country, we have inclement weather. And I don't want to put the kids in a situation where they're playing on the hard, frozen field.”

...

Smith said he believed that Ohio State could use Lucas Oil Stadium, a dome in Indianapolis, for a home playoff game. It’s only three hours from Columbus.

Another advantage for using Lucas Oil Stadium, Smith said, is that it would eliminate the logistical issues Ohio State would face in hosting a playoff game on short notice.

“Let's imagine we have that opportunity, and we're hosting,” Smith said. “I've got to get Ohio Stadium ready lickety-split. Could we do that? No question about that. But it'd be better if we already knew, let's say, we’re going to Indy.

“I'm not strong on this because obviously, I'm still thinking about it like everybody else. But I just think it's the best way to go — to have those kids inside.”

I totally understand his concern, but let's not act like a cold field in the winter is a unique problem that's just arising this year. Half of the NFL has outdoor stadiums in similar or colder climates than Columbus and they figure it out.

You're telling me you can play an outdoor football game in January in Buffalo or Green Bay but you can't figure out how to do it in Columbus, Ohio? I'm not buying that. It's 2021. Stick some heating coils under the turf and call it a day.

 LONG LIVE THE SHIRT. Former Buckeye long snapper Liam McCullough is getting his shot at the NFL this year, and it turns out, so is his famous shirt.

We're now six Liam's deep here. 

So, this shirt features a photograph of himself checking into camp in 2019 wearing a shirt featuring himself checking into camp in 2018 wearing a shirt featuring himself checking into camp in 2017 wearing a shirt featuring himself checking into camp in 2016 wearing a shirt featuring himself checking into camp in 2015.

Your brain melted yet? Just wait 'till next year.

 MAD(DEN) RESPECT. The Bosa Brothers are two of the most feared pass rushers in the NFL. And it turns out that extends to the digital NFL as Madden rates both big and smaller bear as top-10 Edge rushers in the new game.

The more success the Bosas have, the more I yearn to see the day when they both play on opposite sides of the same defensive line. I'm not convinced that will ever happen in real life, but I guess that's why Madden was invented.

Also, I have no idea what Chase Young is rated, but looking at the rest of this list I can tell you with certainty that he was snubbed.

 “SHOULD HAVE BEEN A FIRST-ROUND PICK.” Dre'Mont Jones is without a doubt my pick as the most underrated player to put on an Ohio State uniform in the past decade, and that's carried over to the NFL.

Reality is, he absolutely deserves to be in the same conversation as guys like the  Bosas, Chase Young, Sam Hubbard and Cam Heyward. Most people don't see that, unfortunately, but a future Hall of Famer sure does.

I firmly agree. He's ridiculously explosive and was honestly ahead of his time. He came through Ohio State just as teams were starting to realize that interior players can be effective pass rushers too if they're explosive enough. And I can confirm he is indeed explosive enough.

And Miller can appreciate that because it makes his job a hell of a lot easier on the outside when he's got someone like Dre'Mont one the inside absolutely shredding the interior of the offensive line from the jump.

 SONG OF THE DAY. "Wouldn't It Be Nice?" by The Beach Boys.

 NOT STICKING TO SPORTS. Five high-ranking generals died in just 10 days... A photo tour of the most notorious sites of New York Mafia history and what they look like now... How pigeons helped fight World War I... The True Story of the 1963 Kidnapping of Frank Sinatra Jr... Inside the college that abolished the "F" and raked in the cash... Why men are reading romance novels...

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