Welcome to the Skull Session, Eleven Warriors readers. I'm glad you're here.
Ohio State is the No. 2 team in the USA TODAY Coaches Poll, the AP Top 25 and the College Football Playoff rankings. Talk about consistency.
Let's have a good Wednesday, shall we?
KEEPING PERSPECTIVE. At 7:20 p.m. Tuesday, Ryan Day's eyes were fixed on the tape of Northwestern quarterback Brendan Sullivan. He was dropping back to pass and working through his progressions as his team faced 3rd-and-7 against a stout Iowa defense.
Suddenly, Day's phone vibrates on a cluttered desktop full of notes on the Wildcats. He pauses the film, looks at his phone and sees a text from the associate athletic director of communications Jerry Emig.
Emig writes, “No. 2 in the CFP Poll, Coach.”
Day responds, “Ok.” He clicks play and continues to watch the film. He asks himself, Who cares? Let's just beat Northwestern.
I have no clue if that's how Day learned of the news last night. None of what I wrote is true – not one bit. But I can confidently say Day's reaction to learning Ohio State's ranking in the first CFP ranking of the season was probably similar.
“Do I think we deserve to be in the top four? Absolutely,” Day said in his weekly press conference on Tuesday. “Do I think that matters all that much right now? No. What matters is beating Northwestern.”
If there's one thing Day knows best as Ohio State's head coach, it's that every game matters. The Buckeyes can't take a week off. If they do, they’ll pay the price with an added number in the losing column. This season, with all the chips on the table, and his team as a legitimate national title contender, that can't happen.
"It's a Big Ten matchup on the road. We need to play at a high level. That is the goal here." - @ryandaytime looking ahead to to the test at Northwestern this Saturday #GoBucks pic.twitter.com/kZ0qcRYFeT
— Ohio State Buckeyes (@OhioStAthletics) November 1, 2022
Should Ohio State be in the top four? Yes. Could you argue that the Buckeyes are the most complete team in college football and deserve to be No. 1? Of course. But none of that matters unless the team brings it every week. Day knows this full well.
So as everyone argues in the comment sections and message boards about the rankings, understand that the coaches and players aren’t focused on where they're ranked. It's only “Rat Poison,“ as they say. The Buckeyes will keep winning games and let their play do the talking. And I have to say, that sounds pretty good to me. What say you?
MOM KNOWS BEST. Miyan Williams' mother, Miltonia Ray, introduced her son to football at a young age. Years later, she's unsure where the Ohio State running back would be without the sport.
In this week’s episode of “The Journey” on the Big Ten Network, Williams' story of growing up in Cincinnati, playing football for Winton Woods High School and becoming a Buckeye is documented in detail. However, there would never have been a story to tell had Ray not put her son on a football field when he was in elementary school.
Miltonia Ray introduced @Miyannnn3 to football.
— Big Ten Network (@BigTenNetwork) October 31, 2022
Years later, she made sure @CoachTonyAlford knew about him.
The @OhioStateFB RB's mother isn't sure where her son would be without the sport.
@BTNJourney x @AutoOwnersIns pic.twitter.com/Kc6nCCzr8t
With no fear of contact, the 5-foot-9, 225-pound Williams runs hard and drives opposing defenders into the ground as he fights for extra yards. Those qualities made him a special recruit and what made him a desirable talent for the Buckeye coaches – once Ray helped him get his act together, of course.
In the last two seasons, Williams has become a standout for the Buckeyes with nicknames like “Meatball,” “Chop” and “Miyan Ruins.” It's safe to say Williams committing to Ohio State has been a success to this point in his career.
Some RBs shy away from contact.
— Ohio State on BTN (@OhioStateOnBTN) November 1, 2022
Not @OhioStateFB's @Miyannnn3 Williams. @BTNJourney spotlights the dynamic the breakout star brings to @CoachTonyAlford's backfield.
@AutoOwnersIns pic.twitter.com/nQyn5dgbfp
COMING UP CLUTCH. There were more than a few comments made Saturday that C.J. Stroud played poorly against Penn State. As I read them, I asked myself, as I did last week after the Iowa game, “Are we watching the same player?”
Stroud played an excellent game last weekend and was outstanding in the fourth quarter. For those that disagree, coach Day would like to have a word:
C.J. Stroud (@CJ7STROUD) hasn't been in many close games.
— Ohio State on BTN (@OhioStateOnBTN) November 1, 2022
The last three (Utah, ND & PSU), the QB has been nearly perfect in 4Q to lead @OhioStateFB to victory.
Ryan Day was asked about his QB's clutch play today. pic.twitter.com/bsP2oTaEHc
Even against a loaded Penn State secondary with multiple NFL draft picks, Stroud completed 26 of his 33 passing attempts for 354 yards and a touchdown. He took care of the football and led his team to victory in a hostile environment.
As Day said in his press conference, that's all that matters to Stroud. He just wants to win, and the statistics and individual awards will fall in place after that. While all of Buckeye Nation wants Stroud to win the Heisman, I'm sure everyone would agree that they'd rather have Ohio State win a national championship.
A CLEAN SWEEP. Grab the broomsticks, folks. J.T. Tuimoloau has swept the weekly awards for national defensive player of the week after his dominant performance against Penn State.
First, he was named the Walter Camp Football National Defensive Player of the Week, then he earned Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week and Chuck Bednarik Award Player of the Week honors. Finally, he claimed the Bronco Nagurski National Player of the Week award from the Football Writers Association of America on Tuesday.
The FWAA has named @JT_Tuimoloau the Bronko Nagurski National Player of the Week. JT thus earns a sweep of every weekly defensive award after his generational game at Penn State: 6 tackles, 3 TFLs, 2 sacks, 2 INTs including a pick-6 TD, one FF, one FR and a PBU. @NagurskiTrophy pic.twitter.com/wtPMATserj
— Jerry Emig (@BuckeyeNotes) November 1, 2022
Day said Tuimoloau’s efforts against the Nittany Lions will go down in the books as “one of the most historic games in college football.” And, no, the Ohio State head coach does not believe that statement to be an exaggeration or hyperbole.
Jim Knowles felt “it was a matter of time” before Tuimoloau had a breakout game with how hard he has worked every day in practice. Knowles agreed with Day that Tuimoloau's performance was the best he's seen from a defensive end, but it didn't surprise him. That’s because Knowles, in all his years of coaching, has not seen a player with quite the skill set Tuimoloau has.
"I have been around some guys in the past who have had those unique athletics traits but not at that size ..." - @CoachJimKnowles on @OhioStateFB DE Tuimoloau #GoBucks pic.twitter.com/HG3fbIMP7o
— Ohio State Buckeyes (@OhioStAthletics) November 1, 2022
High praise from the Mad Scientist, and he's not someone who fibs. How about we finish this Skull Session with Tuimoloau’s highlights from the Penn State game? Let's appreciate the historic performance from one of the most athletically gifted defensive ends Knowles has ever seen.
full reel of an game by 44 in Happy Valley! #GoBucks https://t.co/ArKouN2Qfe pic.twitter.com/9AzULJPqZd
— Ohio State Buckeyes (@OhioStAthletics) October 30, 2022
SONG OF THE DAY. “JT” by Jon Bellion.
CUT TO THE CHASE. Pumpkins can be composted, donated to farms, fed to wildlife... Record-setting 12 players dealt on NFL trade deadline day... Takeoff, dead at 28 in shooting, was ‘chill’ Migos member... Tiny Kirk's dik-dik calf born at Welsh zoo... Pranksters transform Ohio sculpture into scene from ‘E.T.’
DON'T FORGET: Vote for Ohio State women's ice hockey defenseman Sophie Jaques to win the AAU James E. Sullivan Award (Click here).
