Skull Session: Jalen McMillan Claims Washington Has the Best WR Room in America, C.J. Stroud Thinks He's "Done Well" With the Texans and E.J. Liddell Will Reward the Pelicans For Their Faith

By Chase Brown on July 12, 2023 at 5:00 am
Marvin Harrison Jr.
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Welcome to the Skull Session.

Ohio State football has a call for you. You must answer with the proper two-letter response in the comments. I don't make the rules here, so do it.

Let's have a good Wednesday, shall we?

 "I'M REALLY HIM." In a recent interview with Max Chadwick of Pro Football Focus, Washington wide receiver Jalen McMillan made some pipin' hot takes about his status as one of college football's top pass-catchers, the Huskies' wide receiver room and the team's offense writ large.

On his personal prowess, McMillan told Chadwick, "I'm really him."

As for his position room at Washington, McMillan said, "The work we put in and the stats we produce – I believe there's nobody else that can really top us."

And regarding the Huskies' offense, McMillan did not mince words. "We have the best offense in the country for sure," he said. "We have so much more in the tank. Last year, we didn't even scratch the surface. Our potential is unmatched. I feel like nothing can stop us. Let's roll."

I'm not in the business of demeaning young adults or their accomplishments, especially as I, a young adult, write about them behind a computer screen. However, I am also not in the business of promoting false statements of fact, either.

McMillen recorded 79 catches for 1,098 yards and nine touchdowns in 2022. Meanwhile, Marvin Harrison Jr. collected 77 catches for 1,263 yards and 11 scores and Emeka Egbuka tallied 74 catches for 1,151 yards and 10 scores. McMillen is not, in fact, him.

Given the stats I featured above, plus the addition of Rome Odunze's 75 catches for 1,145 yards and seven touchdowns last season, we can also conclude that Washington does not, in fact, have the best wide receiver room in America, as the Huskies fall short of the Buckeyes in production and – although I cannot verify this, I believe it – "work put in."

As for McMillen's final point about Washington's offense as the best in the country, he may have an argument there – one based on evidence, too. The Huskies ranked second nationally in yards per game (515.8) and seventh in points per game (39.7) last season. The Buckeyes ranked ninth and second in the same categories, respectively.

Overall, 1-for-3 is good in baseball, but it's not good in a debate.

Still, we will see how McMillen, Ohio State and Washington fare in 2023. He may make me eat my words, but my money is on Harrison, Egbuka and Co. until proven otherwise.

 "I'VE DONE WELL."  Former Ohio State quarterback C.J. Stroud attended the opening of Dick’s House of Sport in Katy, Texas, this week. There, he updated Texans media members on his offseason development before training camp starts on July 21.

From KPRC2 in Houston:

“I feel like I’ve done well,” Stroud said. “(Organized team activities and minicamp) was something I wanted to just put my best in and just be a great leader as well as a great player, soak in the playbook, soak in coaching and be as best I can. I think that was a good start, a good routine to get into training camp and do better there.”

...

Stroud has been working overtime this summer, including extra throwing sessions with teammates. He had a workout at the University of Houston after minicamp that included [Robert] Woods, [Tank] Dell, [Dalton] Schultz and [Davis] Mills.

“It was good, definitely just building chemistry trying to get timing down and trying to be as best we can so we can get to training camp and dominate,” Stroud said. “That was the goal for that one to keep building and have a good offseason.”

Stroud has been getting acclimated to the city of Houston and getting to know his teammates. The Texans’ rookie draft class, headlined by Stroud and first-round defensive end Will Anderson Jr., who has consistently drawn praise for his motor and quickness as an edge pass rusher, have been working together and building camaraderie, including Stroud playing a lot of catch with Dell and Hutchinson.

“Yeah, we’re together 24-7,” Stroud said of Dell and Hutchinson. “We’re doing all the hard stuff together, all the good stuff and we’re blessed enough to have a great rookie class. Those guys are at the forefront of that and we’re going to do well.”

The article from KPRC also had some coachspeak nonsense from Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans about the Texans' "quarterback competition" between Stroud and Mills, as if that's real. Apparently, both Stroud and Mills have made plays, challenged each other and sharpened each other like "iron sharpens iron."

Good stuff, coach.

Now name C.J. the starter.

The Texans' first preseason matchup will come on Aug. 10 against the New England Patriots. Houston will then face the Miami Dolphins on Aug. 19 and the New Orleans Saints on Aug. 27 before opening its season versus the Baltimore Ravens on Sept. 10.

 RETURN ON INVESTMENT. When E.J. Liddell suited up for the New Orleans Pelicans at Cox Pavillion in Las Vegas, the former Ohio State forward made a point to stand where one of his worst memories occurred.

Last summer, on that floor, Liddell tore the ACL in his right knee, ending his first season before it even started. New Orleans picked him with the No. 41 overall pick in the 2022 NBA draft. Despite his late selection, many believed Liddell could make an impact as a rookie. Instead, he spent most of his first year as a professional in rehab to strengthen his knee and build up the confidence for an eventual return.

That recovery process culminated last week when Liddell stood in the exact place where his yearlong journey started. It was an emotional moment for the Belleville, Illinois, native, who had dreamt about it since the last time he was in Vegas.

“I ran by the spot where it happened and kind of reflected on what the past year has been like. I just said a prayer and told myself that the outcome was already written. I’ve just got to go out there and accept what comes next,” Liddell told William Guillory of The Athletic. “It all felt surreal once the game started and I was moving around. But, once I got my first basket, it settled me down. From there, everything felt natural. ... "I loved how normal everything felt when I was out there. It felt like I was getting back to who I truly am.”

Immediately after the Summer League contest, where he scored nine points on 4-of-6 shots and collected three rebounds in 20 minutes, Liddell sat down with Guillory for an exclusive Q&A. Here are some of the questions and answers that stood out to me:

Q: Things are always tenuous for guys who get drafted in the second round. That unease had to be even worse after sustaining such a serious injury. How much did it help to know they wanted to keep you around the team and invest in making sure you’d get back to this point?

A: It meant the world. I don’t know how many people get this opportunity. I’m embracing it. I wanted to return their belief in me by making sure I was on time every day. Making sure I was doing things the right way. Making sure I did all the little things. I really learned to enjoy the grind and the mental challenge you’ve got to take on every single day. But having the team behind me – the staff, my teammates, my coaches – made everything a lot easier.

...

Q: After everything you’ve experienced over the past year, what was it like when you got the phone call and the team informed you they were taking you off the two-way contract and putting you on the main roster?

A: Man, I felt so blessed. It felt like all that hard work was paying off. They told me how happy they were about my approach during the recovery process, and that meant everything to me. I’m just going to keep embracing this opportunity. Keep showing up and doing what I’ve got to do everyday. I’ve just got to keep being me, and it’s great to know they appreciate me for being me. It means the world.

Q: For people who may be unfamiliar with your game, what are you hoping to add to the team once you’re healthy and ready to go in the regular season?

A: I just want to be the guy who can fill in wherever I’m needed. I can play a few different positions. I take pride in being able to defend anywhere on the court. I’m unselfish. I’ve been able to improve my jumper over time. My mom has been telling me, “You’re not going to be Big Ten Player of the Year from Day 1. You’ve got to show you can do all the little things to help win.” That’s the focus for me: doing all the dirty work and defending at a high level.

I feel like I’ve been able to get stronger this summer. That’ll be important for me so I can prove I can defend bigger players. I want to show I can play at the four or at the five. To do that, you’ve got to hold your ground and be smart. That’s going to be big for me in Vegas to show I can do that.

I love Liddell's mindset. The Pelicans had faith in him, and now he wishes to return the favor. How? "Doing things the right way" and "filling in wherever I'm needed." Those comments define what basketball is all about – well, all sports, really. That the team is more important than any one individual. Liddell understands this, and that's why he'll thrive.

Best of luck to him for the rest of the summer. Hopefully, he continues to reward New Orleans for its support and care during one of the worst times of his life. It feels like a safe bet to say he will.

 OLYMPIC VILLAGE. I have been less than pleased with my golf game this summer. I can drive the ball well, but once I put a wedge and putter in my hand, it's over – the epitome of "drive for show, (chip and) putt for dough." Maybe I should have Maxwell Moldovan show me the ropes.

After making the cut at the U.S. Open in June, the Ohio State senior qualified for the PGA Tour's Barbasol Championship this week. Moldova finished second in a field of 65 players with a 7-under 65 in Monday's qualifier at Boone's Trace National Golf Club.

Moldovan's 7-under consisted of six birdies and an eagle. His performance earned him a tee time this week on the Champions Course at Keene Trace Golf Club in Nicholsville, Kentucky, where he will compete with former Buckeyes Ryan Armour and Bo Hoag in his first-ever PGA Tour event.

A native of Uniontown, Ohio, Moldovan earned his second All-American honor in 2022-23 following a season in which he set Ohio State's scoring record for the third consecutive year at 70.64 strokes per round. He finished in the top 20 in 11 of 13 events this season and recorded seven top-five finishes.

And here is an impressive stat: Moldovan is one of five Buckeyes since 1977-78 to record seven or more top-five finishes in a season and the first since Chris Smith in 1990-91.

 SONG OF THE DAY. "Hallucinogenics" by Matt Maeson.

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