Welcome to the Skull Session.
It's almost the weekend.
In the office workin pic.twitter.com/L8nvj6rDIe
— Ohio State Football (@OhioStateFB) March 7, 2024
Have a good Friday.
FINISH THE JOB. Ohio State’s 2021 recruiting class is one of the most talented classes to ever come through Columbus.
After a heartbreaking end to 2023, JT Tuimoloau, Jack Sawyer, Donovan Jackson, Emeka Egbuka, TreVeyon Henderson, Jordan Hancock, Tyleik Williams and Denzel Burke reloaded the clip (their term, not mine – some commenters have made it very clear that it should be “magazine” and not “clip”) for the 2024 season.
Why?
Because one of Ohio State’s most talented classes ever is also one of its least decorated.
That hurts. That hurts real bad.
This week, those eight Buckeyes shared what led them to return to Ohio State for a fourth season. They all could have turned pro. They all could have been drafted. They all could have made millions. Instead, they are all back in Columbus to accomplish three specific goals (and earn a more-than-fair wage, I am sure): Beat Michigan (and receive a pair of Gold Pants), win a Big Ten championship and win the College Football Playoff.
“We need to leave outta here with something,” Hancock said on Thursday.
In addition to Hancock, here is what Tuimoloau, Sawyer, Jackson, Egbuka, Henderson, Williams and Burke said about their decisions to run it back with the Buckeyes:
JT Tuimoloau
“There’s a lot that went into it. I had to take a step back mentally and look at (the situation). I spent a lot of time with my family and my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, allowing him to lead me. … For me, it was ‘The Brotherhood’ here, and there was a lot more I could improve on skill-wise. … I feel like there was a lot more I could do.”
Jack Sawyer
“If you talk to all of us who decided to come back, there’s a personal chance to come back and improve your draft stock. But really, I think for a lot of us, it was a team thing. All coming back, unfinished business – it wouldn’t feel right leaving here like that without giving it one more shot that we had.”
Donovan Jackson
“A lot went into it. I talked to guys in my class (to see) where their heads were at, but it came down to my decision. I wasn’t content with my college career yet. … I feel like, in terms of what I want to show for myself and what I want to leave behind, it wasn’t quite where I wanted it yet.”
Emeka Egbuka
“We wanted to rally together, but ultimately, I was going to make the best decision for myself. I was going to walk by faith and go wherever I felt like the Lord was calling me. Through many hours of prayer, talks with my family, and gathering the most information I could, coming back made the most sense for me. I couldn’t pass up another year with my guys.”
TreVeyon Henderson
“It was really just understanding God called me back here to do something bigger than football, and that’s to continue leading people to him and bring glory to his name.”
Tyleik Williams
“I called a bunch of the older guys to see where their head was at. They basically told me, ‘Why not come back? We have a good squad come back and we can do good things.’ Basically, I decided, ‘Why not? The NFL isn’t going anywhere. I can get another year of development and learn some more things before next year.’”
Denzel Burke
“I had a first or second-round grade, but I had no Gold Pants, no Big Ten title, no natty. So it was just (about) being able to come back with my brothers and doing it for the state of Ohio. I’m trying to finish the job this year. That’s the plan.”
FINISH. THE. JOB.
THE GOLDEN PATH. When Sonny Styles arrived on Ohio State’s campus in 2022, Jim Knowles – then in his first year as defensive coordinator – said he (like Paul Atreides) saw a possible future where the Pickerington, Ohio, native would move from safety to linebacker in the Buckeyes’ defense.
That future has come to fruition.
In Ohio State’s two spring practices, Styles has worked exclusively with the linebackers in periods open to the media. According to Knowles, the reps are not an experiment or test run. Instead, they are proof of a “permanent” switch for Styles, who will now line up at the same position his father, Lorenzo Styles Sr., played for the Buckeyes from 1992-95.
Knowles believes there are a couple of reasons Styles’ move will be positive for Ohio State and the former five-star recruit.
I found Knowles’ first reason hilarious.
“Anytime you make a move, you want it to be right for the player, the defense and the team. I think that (Styles’ move) fit up naturally,” he said. “Sonny had to fight to stay lean as a DB. Now, he gets to eat.”
That comment reminded me of when I would interview Ohio State wrestler Kaleb Romero for stories in The Lantern. A former football standout from Mechanicsburg, Ohio, Romero was a two-time All-American in the 174-pound class. In the offseason, he would bulk up to his natural weight… of 205 pounds. (Wrestlers are a different breed, man).
While far less drastic than Romero’s weight gain, Styles packed on five pounds in January and February, appearing on Ohio State’s roster release as a 6-foot-4, 235-pound athlete. Seeing that Styles was one of three Iron Buckeyes this past winter, I’d guess he consumed his fair share of Chipotle burritos (with extra guacamole) and protein shakes to reach a caloric surplus.
Knowles’ second reason had nothing to do with Styles’ height or weight; it had to do with Styles’ mind.
“He’s a guy who’s got football intelligence,” Knowles said. “He understands the scheme. He’s played a lot of positions. I think he’s going to be great. One of the biggest parts of being a linebacker is you have to know all of the pieces around you so that you can play fast. Sonny has shown that.”
Ohio State linebacker Cody Simon later echoed Knowles’ sentiments.
“He knows the game really well,” Simon said. “He’s coming into the role really well.”
As Styles settles into his new position, Knowles and Co. will be eager to see him make an impact closer to the line of scrimmage. Styles did so last season – he had 53 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss, and two sacks in 13 appearances – but he was limited because his position often required him to anchor the back end of the defense.
With Lathan Ransom back at full strength and Caleb Downs now on the roster, Styles will be closer to the line of scrimmage full-time.
“That will give us more opportunity to change the defense and do different things in the defense that maybe we weren’t able to do last year,” Ransom said. “Wherever Sonny’s going to play, he’s going to be successful.”
BRACE YOURSELVES. When the Big Ten extends its reach to the West Coast next season with the additions of USC, UCLA, Oregon and Washington, a lot will change in the conference. One of those changes will be the number of times schools play football games on Fridays.
According to a Fox Sports press release, the network will air Friday college football games every week in 2024. The matchups are still to be determined; however, the network will select teams from the Big Ten, Big 12 and Moutain West conferences.
In October, Big Ten commissioner Tony Petitti told The Athletic that the conference would have at least nine Friday games on Fox networks in 2024 and beyond. In 2023, the Big Ten had eight games involving at least one of its teams on Friday, including a Black Friday doubleheader.
FOX is football
— FOX Sports PR (@FOXSportsPR) March 7, 2024
Mark your calendars this fall, premier primetime college football hits Friday nights on FOX
: https://t.co/AtuJcnVhwL pic.twitter.com/vhMVvVAEF9
You ready for some Friday night Ohio State football?
It's probably coming sooner than later.
Brace yourselves.
THAT’S WHY SHE’S THE GOAT! Is Nadine Muzerall the best head coach at Ohio State? Some have said so. I have a bias toward another Ohio State coach (IYKYK), so I’ll rank Muzerall second. Still, I wouldn’t blame those who rank the national champion head coach No. 1 overall. There’s good reason to.
On Thursday, Muzerall was named the WCHA Coach of the Year for 2023-24. Now in her eighth year at Ohio State, Muzerall led the Buckeyes to a program-record 26 conference wins this season. She also guided Ohio State to its first sweep of Minnesota Duluth in program history and a home sweep of then-No. 1 Wisconsin to secure the top spot in the USCHO Poll.
Make that three in a row
— Ohio State Women's Hockey (@OhioStateWHKY) March 7, 2024
Coach Muzerall is this year's WCHA Coach of the Year#GoBucks | https://t.co/0kkw9l357K pic.twitter.com/BRHfEt2Mby
In addition to a successful season so far, Muzerall became the winningest coach in program history this season. Entering this weekend, when Ohio State will play in the WCHA Final Faceoff, Muzerall has a career record of 191-72-19. Of those 191 wins, 31 have come in 2023-24, marking the third straight season Ohio State has reached 30 or more victories.
While there are still games left on the schedule, the Buckeyes have already set program records for season goals, assists, points, goals in a game and shorthanded goals in a game.
That’s impressive.
Most impressive.
Muzerall’s WCHA Coach of the Year award is her fifth overall. She has won the award in three consecutive seasons, going back-to-back-to-back.
She will lead Ohio State against Minnesota Duluth in Friday’s WCHA Final Faceoff Semifinals at 2 p.m. inside Ridder Arena in Minneapolis. The winner will advance to the championship game and battle either Minnesota or Wisconsin at 3 p.m. on Saturday. All games will be streamed on B1G+.
SONG OF THE DAY. “Walking On A Dream” - Empire Of The Sun.
CUT TO THE CHASE. Nothing to sniff at: Bill would help pay to retire Ohio drug-detecting K9s under legal cannabis... A small earthquake and “Moodus Noises“ are nothing new for one Connecticut town... Wayward 450-pound pig named Kevin Bacon hams it up for home security camera... Luck strikes twice for Kentucky couple who lost, then found, winning lottery ticket... Hollywood keeps making, then re-making, then re-re-making beloved franchises. But what's in it for viewers?
