Happy Wednesday. You have reached the halfway point of the week.
First on the agenda in today's Skull Session is a question from an Ohio State Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback:
Anyone got @JLaurinaitis55 mouthguard? #GoBucks
— Troy Smith (@yn_TroySmith) October 18, 2022
@BigTenNetwork pic.twitter.com/PMTm2PsUR4
If any of you have James' Laurinaitis' mouth guard, it's time to fess up. Troy Smith wants to know who you are. I'm unsure what he'll do to you if he finds out. Maybe he'll get up close and personal, but probably not as personal as the woman he describes in the video.
Let's have a good Wednesday, shall we?
SAY WHAT NOW? C.J. Stroud is the Heisman Trophy frontrunner heading into Week 8 of the college football season. However, that fact wasn't enough to earn him a spot on the Associated Press midseason All-American team. Instead, the honor belongs to Tennesee quarterback Hendon Hooker.
AP Midseason All-America team.
— Ralph D. Russo (@ralphDrussoAP) October 18, 2022
Hendon Hooker, two Big Ten running backs, and Alabama's offense-wrecking WIll Anderson Jr, lead the way.https://t.co/cHfzxv9oFS
The AP Top 25 voters offered Hooker the nomination for his body of work over his first seven games with the No. 3 Volunteers, citing his passing efficiency of 187.7 and 18 total touchdowns as two reasons for the pick. Meanwhile, Stroud's résumé over six games has been impeccable, as the redshirt sophomore has completed 70.6% of his passes for 1,737 yards and an NCAA-best 24 touchdowns.
I would agree if you shouted claims of recency bias for Hooker's selection. After all, he threw for 385 yards and five touchdowns in Tenessee's 52-49 win over Alabama last weekend. But ultimately, the midseason award does not matter. What matters is Ohio State winning a national championship. The individual awards fall in line after that.
With Stroud's numbers, how could he not become an All-American and a Heisman Trophy winner when it's all said and done?
numbers dont lie #GoBucks pic.twitter.com/alpSsxGlGO
— Ohio State Football (@OhioStateFB) October 18, 2022
Oh, and by the way, many compliments to the Ohio State football media team, who sent this tweet an hour after the AP midseason All-American team dropped. This is a masterclass in subtweeting and trolling – good job out of them.
OHIO AGAINST THE WORLD. On Tuesday, Ryan Day was asked if Ohio State is currently "flying under the radar" following a week of college football pandemonium that included Tennesee's win over Alabama, Michigan's win over Penn State and Utah's win over USC.
His answer?
"There's a reason why it's 'Ohio Against the World,' for years." -#GoBucks pic.twitter.com/2rNLfbYKYr
— Ohio State Buckeyes (@OhioStAthletics) October 18, 2022
I absolutely love that Day embraces the mantra of "Ohio Against the World." That's exactly how it should be for the head coach of the Buckeyes. He also says, "everybody knows who Ohio State is," and that's right on the nose.
Ohio State will never fly under the radar because it is one of the best teams in college football year in and year out. Every season should be the Buckeyes or the field for winning a title, and I think Day understands that.
While on that topic, has anyone else felt that Day understands that even more now that he's lost to Michigan? There's been a different edge to him this season – a grittiness, a toughness and a ruggedness. He intends to let the college football world know that Ohio State, although good over the last eight seasons, has been away from the national championship throne for far too long.
The Buckeyes are coming. Ohio Against the World.
BRAXTON'S MAGICAL DAY. The last time Iowa visited Columbus was on Oct. 19, 2013 – exactly nine years ago. Braxton Miller was magical for the Buckeyes and sent the Hawkeyes back to Iowa City with a 34-24 loss.
It's been a while since Iowa visited Columbus.
— Ohio State on BTN (@OhioStateOnBTN) October 18, 2022
The year was 2013, to be exact, and @BraxtonMiller5 had a gigantic day.#TouchdownTuesday x @OhioStateFB pic.twitter.com/Abeg9H1chf
Miller completed 22 of 27 passes for 222 yards and two touchdowns, including the 58-yard strike to Corey "Philly" Brown featured in the tweet, against a highly-regarded Iowa. He also added 18 carries for 102 yards on the ground. Only Carlos Hyde, who tallied 149 yards and two scores on 24 carries, produced more yards with his legs.
Those statistics might indicate another day in the office for Miller, but there are some things the numbers don't reveal. Miller's first six weeks of 2013 had been impacted by a knee injury he suffered in the season opener.
"I didn't feel this well since the first game of the season," Miller told reporters after the game. "The knee injury set me back a little bit, but I felt pretty good out there."
In short, Miller looked good. Felt good. Played good. That's a dangerous formula for one of the most electric players ever to don an Ohio State uniform. It led to performances like the one we saw nine years ago.
One more thing before I move on: If you had to rank Miller among Ohio State's greatest quarterbacks of all time, where would you put him? He is one of my favorite Buckeyes ever, so make sure to put some respect on his name or you will hurt my feelings.
THE NBA IS HERE. The NBA started its season on Tuesday, which means several former Buckeyes are about to embark on a long journey toward winning the NBA Finals in June 2023.
The NBA is BACK
— Ohio State Hoops (@OhioStateHoops) October 18, 2022
Wishing our guys good luck as the NBA season tips off! #DevelopedHere pic.twitter.com/CALwISql51
Mike Conley Jr. is the longest-tenured Buckeye in the professional league and is entering his third year as a member of the Utah Jazz and 16th overall. He has averaged 14.8 points and 5.6 assists throughout his career.
After Conley, D'Angelo Russell will start his third season as the lead guard for the Minnesota Timberwolves and eighth overall. The talented lefty, who reportedly has ice in his veins, has collected 17.7 points and 5.6 assists a game in the league.
Beyond the deadly lefties, Jae'Sean Tate (who also happens to be a lefty but is still earning deadly status in my book) has shined for the Houston Rockets in recent seasons, which I know we all love to see. Meanwhile, Keita Bates-Diop accompanies former Buckeye and last year's No. 20 overall pick Malaki Branham in San Antonio, and Duane Washington Jr. has found a new home in Phoenix.
Speaking of which, did you know Washington was a bucket and a problem in the preseason? That dude went nuts, especially against the Sacramento Kings last week.
Duane Washington Jr. BALLED out for the @Suns!
— NBA (@NBA) October 13, 2022
31 PTS (10-19 FGM)
4 AST
3 STL pic.twitter.com/0UrnUOrnvH
Finally, E.J. Liddell signed a two-way contract with the New Orleans Pelicans earlier this week as he recovers from a torn ACL he suffered in the NBA Summer League in July, a promising sign of the Pelicans' faith in his ability.
All in all, it should be a fun season for former Buckeyes in the league. Hopefully, we will see more than seven players in the league at one time in the future! With how well Chris Holtmann is recruiting right now, I think that wish may come true sooner rather than later.
SONG OF THE DAY. "Cleveland Rocks" by The Presidents of the United States of America. (Yes, this is coping for a Guardians loss)
CUT TO THE CHASE. South Carolina women unanimous No. 1 in preseason AP Top 25... Are you a mosquito magnet? It could be your smell... Prime Video will add Black Friday game to NFL package in ’23... Astronaut James McDivitt, who commanded NASA's Apollo 9 mission, dies at 93... NYC cab driver cashes in passenger's IOU in Ireland 9 years later.
