Skull Session: TBDBITL is Ready for Football, A New Development in Campus Parking and Ohio State Welcomes Former Players To Practice

By Chase Brown on August 17, 2022 at 5:00 am
What a nice hat.
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Ohio State football is Todd Boeckman days away.

Did you think former Ohio State quarterback Todd Boeckman would be in this Skull Session? Neither did I until I wrote the introduction. but there are 17 days until the Buckeyes play their first game of the 2022 season, and he was the first player who wore that number that came to mind.

Anyway, enough about Boeckman. Let's have a great Wednesday, shall we?

 TBDBITL IN FOR JAM-PACKED 2022. From Script Ohio before kickoff to awe-inspiring creations during halftime, TBDBITL provides a magical experience for Buckeye fans, adding a unique layer to the football program’s rich tradition.

On Tuesday, the 145th edition of the marching band started practicing for a loaded slate of performances in 2022. The band’s season will begin with Ohio State’s top-five matchup against Notre Dame on Sept. 3, kicking off five consecutive weeks with pregame and halftime shows.

“We’re really excited about the 145th edition of The Best Damn Band in the Land, and we’re looking forward to a great season,” said Dr. Christopher Hoch, director of marching and athletic bands at Ohio State. “We had a great group of students try out this year, and we’re proud of the work they’ve done so far.”

The marching band will perform a halftime show at each of Ohio State’s eight home games. TBDBITL also will perform in University Park, Pennsylvania, when the football team faces Penn State on Oct. 29. 

Additionally, the Buckeyes’ Sept. 17 contest against Toledo will feature the alumni marching band’s return to Columbus. It will be the group’s 53rd annual performance with the student band.

Personal note: I lived next to a trumpet player in the marching band in Siebert Hall during my first year at Ohio State in 2018. He worked incredibly hard on his academics while memorizing countless songs and formations for the band’s performances.

While not “athletes,” the marching band members spend as much if not more time on their craft as the players and competitors on the various sports teams. Also, they make football games better and have become an integral part of gameday Saturdays in Columbus. Cheers to you if you are a current or former marching band member. I admire all of your hard work.

 SHIFTING TIDES. In mid-July, several Buckeye football players collectively shared their grievances toward CampusParc, the third-party service that oversees parking on Ohio State’s campus. 

The first to share his experience was defensive tackle Mike Hall Jr., who received an $81 ticket for failing to pay for parking at the Woody Hayes Athletic Center. Running back TreVeyon Henderson chimed in, sharing that CampusParc haunts him while he works out or practices with the team.

Well, Hall and Henderson might be in luck. 

Bryan Fischer of Athlon Sports tweeted Tuesday that a recent NCAA rule change will allow athletic programs to purchase parking passes for their student-athletes, which is a massive development for the Buckeye football players in the Ohio State v. CampusParc saga.

If Ohio State chooses to take advantage of the rule change, Henderson, Hall and the rest of the Buckeyes may not have to worry about CampusParc tickets anymore.

 I WANNA GO BACK TO O-HI-O. Ohio State football welcomed former players to its practice on Monday morning. Kickers Blair Conway (1971-74) and Tom McBrayer (1971-74) and wide receiver Joey Galloway (1991-94) were among the players featured in a tweet from the Ohio State football team’s official Twitter account.

Conway established himself as a reliable kicking option for head coach Woody Hayes in the early 1970s. With two-time Heisman Trophy winner Archie Griffin as the team’s running back, Hayes needed someone who could convert extra point attempts at a high rate, and he had that in Conway.

In fact, Conway’s name still appears in the Ohio State record book three times, all for his performance during the 1973 season. He is tied for 12th all-time for extra points made in a game with eight against Minnesota. Conway also is tied for sixth in extra points attempted in a game with nine against Northwestern, and he ranks 11th all-time for extra points attempted in a season with 55.

McBrayer was a backup to Conway early in his career and finished his time in Columbus behind eventual three-time All-American punter Tom Skladany, who is considered one of the greatest specialists in college football history.

Galloway was an All-Big Ten wide receiver at Ohio State who set school records during his collegiate career. As a junior, he caught 47 passes for 946 yards and tied Cris Carter for a then-program best 11 touchdowns. Galloway collected 44 receptions for 769 yards and seven touchdowns the following year before the Seattle Seahawks made him the No. 8 overall pick in the 1995 NFL draft.

The Bellaire, Ohio, native made a significant impact for several franchises in the NFL, utilizing many of the same qualities that made him a standout athlete for the Buckeyes, primarily his game-breaking speed.

But how fast was Galloway? A 4.29-second 40-yard dash kind of fast. That’s among the best ever recorded for an Ohio State footballer – even quicker than Garrett Wilson (4.38) and Chris Olave (4.39) from this year’s NFL Scouting Combine.

 A FOND MEMORY. The 2017 matchup between Ohio State and Penn State is an all-time classic for the program. Former Buckeyes wide receiver Johnnie Dixon III was reminiscing on his experience in that game on Tuesday.

The Nittany Lions controlled most of the game and held a 35-20 lead heading into the fourth quarter. That's when quarterback J.T. Barrett rallied the Buckeyes with three fourth-quarter touchdowns and led Ohio State to a 39-38 win in Columbus.

One of Barrett's top targets during the comeback was Dixon, who finished with three catches for 56 yards and two touchdowns. Those scores came at the most critical of moments for Ohio State and helped the team outscore Penn State 19-3 in the final frame.

 SONG OF THE DAY. “I Think I Like When It Rains” by WILLIS.

 CUT TO THE CHASE. Monkey business at a California zoo... Boston harbor patrol saves a wedding... A Manti Te'o documentary is now on Netflix... Nipsey Hussle receives posthumous Hollywood star... Miller High Life now has an ice cream bar.

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