Welcome to the Skull Session.
Ohio State women's hockey forward Jenn Gardiner had a SportsCenter Top 10 play over the weekend.
What. A. Move.@jenngardiner12 with the fancy stickwork@OhioStateWHKY | @NCAAIceHockey pic.twitter.com/pGZw3zPolH
— Ohio State Buckeyes (@OhioStAthletics) February 3, 2024
Ew!
Have a good Monday.
OG WALT. Brian Hartline is one of the best offensive recruiters in college football, landing Garrett Wilson, Marvin Harrison Jr., Jeremiah Smith, and the like. Tim Walton is one of the best defensive recruiters in college football, landing Davison Igbinosun, Caleb Downs, Devin Sanchez, Na'eem Offord and the like.
Both coaches represent THE World Famous Ohio State Buckeyes.
Life is good in Columbus.
Let's talk Walton, who secured a commitment from Offord, the No. 1 cornerback and No. 5 overall prospect in the 2025 class, on Sunday after he visited Ohio State over the weekend.
Home#BIA pic.twitter.com/lCDsdmu9Fb
— Naeem Offord (@OffordNaeem) February 4, 2024
With Offord's commitment, Walton has now landed seven top-10 cornerbacks since he became Ohio State's secondary coach in 2022:
2023
- Four-star 2023 cornerback Jermaine Mathews, No. 51 overall and No. 6 cornerback
- Four-star 2023 cornerback Calvin Simpson Hunt, No. 62 overall and No. 8 cornerback
2024
- Five-star 2024 cornerback Aaron Scott, No. 34 overall and No. 2 cornerback
- Four-star 2024 cornerback Bryce West, No. 58 overall and No. 4 cornerback
2025
- Five-star 2025 cornerback Na'eem Offord, No. 5 overall and No. 1 cornerback
- Five-star 2025 cornerback Devin Sanchez, No. 6 overall and No. 2 cornerback
- Four-star 2025 cornerback Blake Woodby, No. 76 overall and No. 10 cornerback
Walton's success on the trail – in Ohio with Mathews, Scott, and West, and nationwide with Simpson-Hunt, Offord, Sanchez, and Woodby – puts him neck-and-neck with Hartline or even ahead of Hartline for the title of top recruiter on Ryan Day's staff.
— Naeem Offord (@OffordNaeem) February 4, 2024
Tim Walton the best in the country!
— Denzel Burke (@King10Burke) February 4, 2024
Aye @CoachTimWalton IN HIS DUFFLE BAG AND ITS DEFINITELY LV!! #BIA #DBU #GoBucks
— Tyvis Powell (@1Tyvis) February 4, 2024
Its crazy that the way OSU been recruiting and developing WRs and DBs the best tape for both positions for NFL draft scouts will be practice film lol.
— Tyvis Powell (@1Tyvis) February 4, 2024
And how did Walton put himself in that position?
The compound effect of the little things.
Tim Walton pic.twitter.com/t4zMwNRqbD
— Eleven Warriors (@11W) February 4, 2024
"The compound effects of the little things. Each victory, no matter how big or small, enhances our capacity to lead and empower. When we cultivate the determination to tackle obstacles head-on, this leaves a ripple effect that extends into how we show up for our team. This commitment to embracing daily challenges of choosing hard by honing in our mindset. Small daily victories have a significant impact on our lives. The little things make the big things happen. Taking care of the little things make the big things happen."
OG Walt, everyone.
A TALE OF TWO TEAMS. Buckeye basketball – it was the best of times; it was the worst of times.
The Ohio State women's team is 19-3 and leads the Big Ten. The Ohio State men's team is 13-9 and, well, doesn't lead the Big Ten (it ranks second-to-last in the conference ahead of Michigan).
It was the age of wisdom; it was the age of foolishness.
The women's team has won nine consecutive games. The men's team has lost four consecutive games and seven of its last eight.
It was the epoch of belief; it was the epoch of incredulity.
The women's team has Minnesota (in Minneapolis), Michigan State (in East Lansing), Nebraska, Penn State (in University Park), Maryland, Michigan and Iowa (in Iowa City) left on the schedule and could win all of those contests. The men's team has Indiana, Maryland, Wisconsin (in Madison), Purdue, Minnesota (in Minneapolis), Michigan State (in East Lansing), Nebraska, Michigan and Rutgers left on the schedule and could win – I don’t know – three of those contests?
It was the season of light; it was the season of darkness.
The women's team seems destined to become one of the top seeds in the NCAA Tournament. The men's team seems destined to miss the NCAA Tournament for the second straight season.
It was the spring of hope; it was the winter of despair.
Buckeye basketball – it was the best of times; it was the worst of times.
THE PERFECT NIL DEAL. In March 2023, Marvin Harrison Jr. landed a perfect NIL deal with Monarc Sport in which he sponsored its Seeker machine, advertised as “the world’s first robotic quarterback.”
On Saturday, JT Tuimoloau landed a perfect NIL deal with Giant Eagle Stores (via The 1870 Society):
In case you missed it
— The 1870 Society (@the1870society) February 3, 2024
The 1870 Society has partnered with @GiantEagle and @JT_Tuimoloau to create JT's own shampoo line! We are excited for JT to be the first college athlete with his own personal care item. Stop by your nearest GE location today!https://t.co/Hm2agNc6i5
Giant Eagle Stores and The 1870 Society, the top collective supporting Ohio State Athletics, are pleased to announce a new partnership to introduce a variety of items in Giant Eagle stores, all featuring top Ohio State student-athletes. The first item is a dandruff shampoo, with star Defensive Lineman, JT Tuimoloau on the package, now available at all Ohio Giant Eagle stores. A two-time All-Big Ten defensive lineman, JT just announced he would return to Ohio State for his senior season, bypassing possibly being a first-round pick, to play one more year in the Scarlet and Gray.
Utilizing the new name image and likeness rules in college sports, this partnership will also include frozen pizza and cookies, among other items. The program will feature student-athletes from a variety of sports and will feature in-store visits from the players promoting their products. Haystack Sourcing Solutions is developing the products, in conjunction with Giant Eagle and The 1870 Society. The next item, a frozen pizza, will be available next month, featuring Buckeyes from men’s basketball, women’s tennis, and women’s softball teams.
The JT Tuimoloau Dandruff Shampoo has a comparable level of active ingredient to fight dandruff as the top national brand, and will retail for $4.99. JT is not the first football star to promote a dandruff shampoo, but he’s excited to be the first college athlete with his own personal care item.
The 1870 Society VP of Operations, Drew Esler is looking forward to kicking off this new program with the 2-time All-Big 10 Lineman.
“With JT announcing he is coming back next season, he could go down as one of the Buckeyes’ all-time greats not only on the field, but off the field as well," Esler said. "There is so much momentum around the program, and this is just another way Buckeye Nation can support all of its teams.”
This rocks.
I hope the deal includes commercials like NFL Hall of Famer and former Steelers safety Troy Polamalu used to film for Head & Shoulders. Of all the commercials he filmed, I liked this one the most (however, as a Cleveland Browns fan, I didn't love it – I just liked it):
Tuimoloau could definitely do the same. Take him to Ohio State's locker room, put him in some pads, hire a reporter (I volunteer!) and film a commercial Buckeye Nation would remember forever.
Come on, Mr. Esler. How about it?
A WELL-DESERVED HONOR. ICYMI: The Rose Bowl Legacy Foundation will honor Archie Griffin – college football's only two-time Heisman Trophy winner – with a statue outside of the Rose Bowl Stadium in Pasadena, California. The foundation announced its plans to build the statue in a Friday press release.
Griffin is one of two players ever to have started in four consecutive Rose Bowls. He is also a member of the Rose Bowl Game Hall of Fame (1990), an honor that came four years after he was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1986.
“I am humbled to have a statue in my honor at the Rose Bowl Stadium, one of the most prestigious stadiums in America. I feel blessed to have played in four Rose Bowl Games,” Griffin said in a press release. “Please know that when you honor me with this recognition, you also honor the teams that I played on during my four years at The Ohio State University. I was simply in the right place, at the right time, with the right people. That’s what allowed me to enjoy the success that my teammates and I experienced. Again, I am extremely grateful to be honored in this manner.”
Griffin is the gold standard for Ohio State greatness. Across four seasons from 1972-75, Griffin rushed for 5,589 yards and 25 touchdowns, becoming a three-time All-American for the Buckeyes. He gained 412 of those yards in the Rose Bowl, including 149 yards in his 1974 appearance.
A Columbus native and Eastmoor graduate, Griffin is Ohio State’s career rushing yards leader and its career leader in rushing yards per game (121.5) with an incredible 34 career 100-yard rushing games, 12 more than any other Buckeye all-time. Griffin also holds the NCAA record for most consecutive 100-yard games with 31 in a row from 1973-75.
“Archie Griffin is one of the greatest players in college football history, and we applaud the Rose Bowl Stadium for erecting his statue as part of the new Heisman Walk,” said Steve Hatchell, National Football Foundation president and CEO. “As a College Football Hall of Fame inductee and long-standing member of the National Football Foundation board of directors, he has dedicated his life to promoting and protecting the game. Archie’s statue will serve as a fitting tribute to a man whose legacy is something we can all celebrate.”
The press release (and the 11W article) also included information that the Rose Bowl Legacy Foundation will place the statue in the “Court of Champions” near its “Legacy Walk” – a path of statues and plaques that will educate visitors on the 19 Heisman Trophy winners to perform in the Rose Bowl Game.
When the foundation completes its Archie Griffin statue, it will send a full-size replica to Ohio State that can be placed in Columbus. And here's the entire point of this ICYMI Skull Session section: Ohio State must place that statue outside of Ohio Stadium. It must.
The lack of statues outside of Ohio Stadium has always confused me. Griffin, Troy Smith, Eddie George, Hopalong Cassady, Vic Janowicz, Les Horvath, Chic Harley, Woody Hayes (he has a statue at the Woody Hayes Athletic Center but not at Ohio Stadium), Jim Tressel and many more could all have statues outside the Shoe. Why not start a trend of commemorative sculptures with the greatest player to ever wear an Ohio State uniform? There's no time like the present.
SONG OF THE DAY. “Tom’s Diner” - Suzanne Vega - AnnenMayKantereit (ft. Giant Rooks) Cover.
CUT TO THE CHASE. This is what happened when a Cold War-era missile was found in the garage of someone’s home... Sauna patrons pull two from a car that plunged into a Norwegian fjord... Toddler gets stuck after climbing into a claw machine looking for a toy in Australian shopping mall... Zillow survey says Americans want Travis Kelce as their neighbor... Raccoon knocks out power for thousands in downtown Toronto.
