Skull Session: Hunter Dickinson Calls Michigan “A Fake Midwest,” Daniel Jeremiah Compares Marvin Harrison Jr. to A.J. Green, and Tywone Malone Has “Unfinished Business”

By Chase Brown on July 19, 2023 at 5:00 am
Marvin Harrison Jr.
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Welcome to the Skull Session.

The Cleveland Browns released some all-white uniforms on Tuesday, and I think they are cleannnnnnnnnnnn. What do you think?

Whatever your opinion of the Browns' new look, let's all have a good Wednesday, shall we?

 “MICHIGAN IS LIKE A FAKE MIDWEST.” Former Michigan basketball star Hunter Dickinson, an All-Big Ten and All-American center for the Wolverines, made headlines over the weekend.

On an appearance on the “Rock Chalk Unplugged” podcast, Dickinson said he wanted to accomplish more in his final season of college basketball. That's why he transferred from Michigan to Kansas before 2023-24.

"In three years at Michigan, I did some great things, made some memories there," he said. "But I felt like I wasn't ready for the draft, and I wanted to do one more year, try to win a national championship and try to win a little bit more."

Dickinson then compared his new home of Lawrence, Kansas, to his former home of Ann Arbor, referring to them as “pretty similar” in size and culture. However, as Dickinson continued, he called out the southeast Michigan city in the most hilarious way possible.

"Walking around (Lawrence), the people are super welcoming, super nice – I definitely get those Midwest vibes," Dickinson said. "I feel like Michigan, they weren't as nice. There were nice people, but not as nice. ... I feel like Michigan is like a fake Midwest. Kansas is actually a Midwest town. I loved my time at Michigan, but the people here at Kansas are especially nice."

It's not a nasty “YOU WON'T BELIEVE WHAT HUNTER DICKINSON SAID ABOUT HIS FORMER TEAM” quote that would appear on a smaller clickbait website. On the Barstool Roundball podcast, Dickinson once said that he would never speak poorly of Michigan because “I do still love Michigan.”

But it's still hilarious.

Michigan is a fake Midwest. Throw it on a T-shirt.

 MARV → A.J. GREEN + ANDRE JOHNSON? Marvin Harrison Jr. is good at football. He's so good that NFL Network's Daniel Jeremiah is ready to compare the 6-foot-4, 205-pound wide receiver to some of the NFL's best pass-catchers since 2000: All-Pros A.J. Green and Andre Johnson.

Here is what Jeremiah wrote about Harrison in his latest breakdown of the top draft prospects in the 2024 class:

What I liked: Harrison has everything you look for in a No. 1 wide receiver. He has a big frame, outstanding speed and natural hands. He has a unique blend of power and grace. He can win right off the line in his release whether he's using pure speed or simply swatting away cornerbacks with his hands. He changes tempo in his routes down the field and can access another gear when the ball is in the air.

He tracks the ball easily over his shoulder on deep balls and is adept at adjusting to throws on his back shoulder. After the catch, he has the speed to pull away or he can use his lower body strength to break tackles. His competitive nature showed up through the entire season.

...

Biggest takeaway: Harrison has the instincts of a basketball player when the ball is in the air. He understands how to utilize his frame and strength to wall off defenders. He attacks the ball away from his body, which makes it so difficult to stop him. Even if the cornerback stays in phase (position) throughout the entire route, Harrison can still win at the catch point. You can see the defenders' frustration at the end of some of these incredible catches. There's simply nothing they can do.

He reminds me of: I'd love to use his father as the comparison, but their games are actually quite different. Harrison Jr. isn't quite as quick, but he's bigger and stronger. The best comparison is seven-time Pro Bowler A.J. Green. They both have that blend of size, fluidity and hands. Also, there are also some elements to his play that remind me of Andre Johnson, who was such a physical force when the ball was in the air during his playing career.

Cincinnati Bengals fans are familiar with Green, who the Bengals drafted with the No. 4 overall pick in 2011 after he completed three stellar seasons with the Georgia Bulldogs. Green ranks second in Cincinnati franchise history in receiving yards (9,430) and touchdowns (65) across nine seasons and 127 appearances for the Bengals. He also played two seasons with the Arizona Cardinals in 2021 and 2022, collecting 1,084 yards and five scores in 31 games.

Johnson was a standout for Miami (Fla.) from 2000-02. In his final season with the Hurricanes, Jim Tressel and Ohio State handed him a massive L in the 2003 national championship game. After that, the Houston Texans drafted him with the No. 3 overall pick in 2003, and he later became the first inductee into the Texans Ring of Honor after a career in which he recorded 14,185 yards and 70 touchdowns in 14 seasons – 12 with Houston, one with the Indianapolis Colts and one with the Tennessee Titans.

Not bad for professional comps, eh?

Harrison, should he remain healthy – and, oh, please let him remain healthy – is primed for another fantastic season at Ohio State. In 2022, he finished with 77 receptions, 1,263 yards and 14 touchdowns in 13 appearances. If he plays like Green and Johnson this fall, expect those numbers to improve a lot. Like, a lot, a lot.

 “UNFINISHED BUSINESS.” Buckeye Nation has yet to see Tywone Malone wear a scarlet and gray uniform, as the former Ole Miss Rebel transferred to Ohio State on May 9 – three weeks after the Buckeyes‘ spring game on April 16. Still, Malone in some Ohio State-themed gloves and cleats may be enough of a sneak peek to excite the team's fans for his first official practices in August.

In two seasons at Ole Miss, the 6-foot-4, 315-pound defensive tackle recorded 13 tackles, two sacks and two pass breakups, so he didn't stuff the stat sheet by any means. But if you watched that video, you would know that Malone is a beast. 

I expect the legendary Larry Johnson will let that beast loose often in 2023. After all, Johnson wanted Malone as a part of Ohio State's class of 2021 before the Jamesburg, New Jersey native ultimately chose Ole Miss to pursue a college career in both football and baseball with the Rebels.

Johnson undoubtedly has plans for Malone at Ohio State. I suspect "Unfinished Business" will motivate Malone as he helps LJ carry them out to fruition.

 1-ON-1 WITH COACH. The 1870 Society has announced a new contest for Ohio State football fans. And you, dear reader, could be the winner.

On Tuesday, the Buckeyes-driven NIL collective announced a contest in which two members will win access to attend a live recording of The Ryan Day Podcast at the Woody Hayes Athletic Center, where those winners will have the chance to meet Day, ask a few questions and snap a couple of photos with the Ohio State head coach.

All current 1870 Society members have been automatically entered into the contest. But if you are new to the NIL scene and want to support Ohio State football through the school's newest collective, you have until Friday to become a member and enter your name into the contest.

Day and Ohio State athletic director Gene Smith have backed the 1870 Society since its launch in April, appearing in a promotional video for the organization. In the past three months, Day has launched the podcast mentioned above with former Ohio State national champion Michael Bennett as its host.

Memberships to The 1870 Society start at $10 a month and incrementally increase to $5,000. With every additional dollar comes more perks for monthly members, including access to The Ryan Day Podcast, tickets and pre-game field access to an Ohio State football game, tickets to a “Heisman Lunch” featuring past Ohio State Heisman Trophy winners and more. To become a member, click here.

 SONG OF THE DAY. “Hung Up” by The Mysterines.

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