Skull Session: Ohio State Has Too Many Offensive Line, Urban Meyer Doesn't Know the NFL, and Buckeye NutHouse Sells Out

By Kevin Harrish on October 12, 2021 at 5:20 am
Ryan Day salutes the crowd in today's skull session.
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The cool thing about Tuesday is that it ain't Monday. That's your good news of the day. Enjoy it.

Word of the Day: Unctuous.

 MR. JONES. Ohio State's got a problem on the offensive line. To be clear, it's a *good* problem, but it's a problem, nonetheless.

See, the Buckeyes have six starting offensive linemen. And the guy who's been arguably the best of the bunch these pas few weeks doesn't currently have a permanent position.

... there’s an argument to be made that Ohio State’s best offensive lineman to date has been guard Matthew Jones. He was inserted into the starting lineup for a few games while Munford dealt with an injury and has rotated in at both guard positions the past two weeks as the offense has found ways to play six linemen. Jones has always been a powerful run blocker, and he’s really made strides as a pass protector this year. He’s playing like one of the top interior linemen in the country. That’s why the staff has continued rotating him in even after Munford’s return.

For now, it’s working fine. I’m curious what happens if the time comes when the offense needs to pick five and roll with them for the majority of the game.

There isn’t anyone who’s playing poorly, which makes that call a bit more difficult. But, at the risk of putting too much stock into Pro Football Focus’ individual player grades, here’s how the top six linemen rank six games into the season: Matthew Jones (89.3), Petit-Frere (86.5), Dawand Jones (84.5), Johnson (75), Munford (72.6) and Luke Wypler (70.3). Those are all good grades. But does the staff ever reach the point where it feels the need to shuffle some pieces around to get Matthew Jones on the field in a full-time capacity, regardless of who’s healthy and who isn’t?

The senior is making a compelling case for that.

So here's my confusion. Did Matthew Jones, who was the nation's top center coming out of high school three years ago, simply forget how to play center? Because it seems to me that putting him there would solve all kinds of dilemmas.

 THIS ISN'T COLUMBUS ANYMORE. I've resisted writing about Urban Meyer and all his... stuff in pretty much any capacity these past few weeks. Because frankly, he's not my problem anymore.

But it's an off week, and for some reason, *this* got me riled up enough to do some online words about it.

I'll give him this: if they do average 250 yards rushing and 250 yards passing a game, they'll go from the worst team in the league to probably the best offense in NFL history with the quickness.

I'm sure there are some of you college football purists who have no idea why this is so hilarious (which is totally fine, to be clear, because you're not paid like $10 million a year to coach an NFL team), so I'll help you out. The problem with this whole 250/250 business is that it's a totally unrealistic goal for any NFL team, much less the worst team in the league.

For context, that adds up to 60 more yards per game than the NFL leader in total offense this year and more than 60 yards per game better than the NFL leader in rushing yards per game. If the Jags could accomplish this, they would never lose a game ever again.

It's not something a team can possibly average. It's nowhere close to a realistic goal or target. It's something that historically happens in a single game less than once year.

And even if he was simply just trying to say that he wanted to see a 50/50 balance between passing and rushing production, that's still dumb, because that's not how the NFL works. No team in the league has anywhere close to a 50/50 run/pass production split, especially on purpose.

In a vacuum, this probably isn't really a big deal. He misspoke – whatever. But couple with everything else, it's a glaring indicator that after nine months in the NFL, Urban Meyer still has no idea how the league works.

I was not one of those who thought Urban Meyer's time in Jacksonville was going to be a swift failure.

I thought he was too smart for that. I thought he would adapt to the very different league, surround himself with an excellent staff to set him up for success, make the most of one of the most advantageous salary cap situations in recent NFL memory, and win over the city, fans and players. He's done none of that.

I don't know if he's failing because he's genuinely and earnestly in over his head, or if he's failing because he just doesn't give a shit. Either way, it's tough to watch.

 GO NUTS. We're in the thick of football season, but basketball season is nearly upon us, and it sure seems like the Ohio State students are ready to roll.

I, like most of you, have trouble even remembering that basketball exists until the middle of January, but when you're on campus, there's something magical about those few weeks when you get to split your trips to the 'Shoe with a few weeknight hoops games.

Live it up, kids. And yell some obscenities at Coach K for me.

 WORTH EVERY CENT. Reminder: the SEC hates any and all kinds of fun.

If we're being honest, that might be the best $100,000 Texas A&M has ever spent.

 SONG OF THE DAY. "Barbarianism" from the computer game RuneScape.

 NOT STICKING TO SPORTS. The MLB is testing rule changes to make baseball more fun... California bans non-consensual condom removal... Archaeologists find a 1,500-year-old Byzantine wine complex... How the espresso martini became the world’s most notorious cocktail... Natty Light introduces flavored vodka as domestic beer sales slump... How a Scottish mountain weighed the planet...

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