Skull Session: Joel Klatt Calls Bo Jackson “Dynamic,” Ryan Day Knocks On Wood Over Julian Sayin’s Deep-Ball Accuracy and Ohio State Names Players of the Game Against Ohio

By Chase Brown on September 18, 2025 at 5:00 am
Bo Jackson
Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch
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Welcome to the Skull Session.

Jeremiah Smith is one of one.

Have a good Thursday.

 “THIS GUY IS DYNAMIC.” Could Bo Jackson be Ohio State’s X-factor as the Buckeyes strive to win back-to-back national championships?

Joel Klatt thinks so.

In the latest episode of The Joel Klatt Show, the Fox Sports commentator said Jackson could unlock Ohio State’s offense this season. With Jackson carving out a role in the running back rotation, Klatt said the Buckeyes can distribute carries across multiple ballcarriers, keeping them fresh for the stretch run — a formula Ohio State utilized with TreVeyon Henderson and Quinshon Judkins last season en route to a national title.

“During the course of the preseason and offseason, I was hearing a lot out of their program about this young running back named Bo Jackson,” Klatt said. “But they were very high on him and said, ‘We think that this guy is gonna earn his way into the rotation.’ The reason that’s important is because what they learned a year ago was very vital to them, which is that a rotation at running back is paramount to keep those guys fresh and healthy for the stretch run. 

“Ryan Day talks to me constantly about how long the season is. That played out last year. They were able to have two different times where they were able to regroup, shift focus, change some things within the program schematically and then move forward, ultimately ending with a national championship. Part of that was that they had two running backs last year, TreVeyon Henderson and Quinshon Judkins, that they didn’t have to lean on for 20 carries a game. Both of those guys got around 10 to 13 carries a game, right around there, so they were fresh in the stretch run. They were, in a lot of ways, with Jeremiah Smith, the most electric players in the playoffs, very difficult to defend.”

Klatt acknowledged that Jackson has had limited opportunities against lesser opponents. Still, Klatt said Jackson has shown explosiveness that could make Ohio State an offensive juggernaut given its talent at tight end and wide receiver.

“Man, you can see it. This guy is dynamic,” Klatt said of Jackson. “Now they’ve got three really good options at running back, and that’s gonna give them a lot of depth in order to stay fresh for potentially a long season. You give them a third healthy back and, watch out, they could run the football really effectively and when that passing game has the ability to be dynamic… then watch out, then watch out. That’s, in a lot of ways, that turned them into the team that ultimately went and won the national championship.”

Jackson had nine carries for 108 yards and a touchdown against Grambling State, then followed with 11 touches for 130 yards against Ohio. With an average of 11.9 yards per touch, I want to see the ball in Jackson’s hands as often as possible, but I know the formula Day outlined Tuesday will set the Buckeyes up for long-term success this season.

“It doesn’t take a veteran coach to recognize talent when you see it, and Bo has talent,” Day said. “We’re gonna keep bringing him along. It’s a long season. We’re gonna continue to give him the opportunities to prove that we can trust him with the ball in his hands. So far he’s done that. You can see his vision. You can see his ability to catch the ball. He’s got a lot of different skills.

“We’re gonna keep bringing him along. The more he can take, the more we’re gonna give him. But I also think there’s — just iike any other position — there’s a way you bring guys along. The No. 1 thing is ball security, taking care of the football. Then there’s pass protection. Then there are all those things. He’s checked these boxes. I mean, he’s doing a nice job. We’re gonna need everybody in that room. I think they’re all a little bit different, which is unique. It’s our job to put them in a situation to be successful. But he’s gonna get plenty of carries this year.”

 “SAYIN HAS BEEN VERY GOOD.” Also in the latest episode of The Joel Klatt Show, Klatt ranked the top 10 quarterbacks in college football after three weeks.

Julian Sayin cracked the top 10, landing in the final spot behind Oklahoma’s John Mateer, Miami’s Carson Beck, Oregon’s Dante Moore, Georgia’s Gunner Stockton, Georgia Tech’s Haynes King, Florida State’s Thomas Castellanos, Iowa State’s Rocco Becht, Tennessee’s Joey Aguilar and USC’s Jayden Maiava.

“I see it. It’s there,” Klatt said of Sayin. “He leads college football in completion percentage at 79 percent*. He does play in rhythm. He had a couple of poor decisions last week against Ohio that led to interceptions. They largely protected him against Texas, and they did not ask him to do much in the passing game. I think that it was there, and it could have been a lot better, but they protected him. … I thought he played very well against Texas. He protected the football.”

*NOTE: Beck leads college football with a 79.3 percent completion rate. Sayin ranks second at 78.9 percent.

As Klatt continued, he named specific traits that stand out to him about Sayin.

“His feet are in rhythm. He plays in balance. The ball leaves his hand on time. Generally, it’s on target. He’s a very accurate passer. You don’t throw for 79 percent unless you’re an accurate passer,” Klatt said. “And these are, a lot of them, big completions. He’s not just throwing screen passes for 79 percent. He’s throwing the football down the field — happens to be to really good receivers and yeah, he’s got a lot of help around him, but Sayin has been very good so far this year.”

** nods in agreement **

A 79 percent completion rate with 779 yards, eight touchdowns, three interceptions. 

Yeah, I’d call that very good!

 KNOCK ON WOOD! Earlier this week, I criticized Brian Kelly for his lack of professionalism when an LSU reporter asked about the Tigers’ struggles running the ball against Florida. (Kelly later apologized on Monday.) I also praised Ryan Day for the way he handles press conferences, consistently treating Ohio State reporters with class and respect.

What I didn’t add — but should have — is that Day doesn’t just show respect; he also has fun with the media. The best example came when he pretended to faint after the Buckeyes signed Jeremiah Smith (and honestly, fainting would have been a reasonable reaction). The latest came Tuesday, when a reporter told him Sayin has yet to throw an incompletion on a pass of more than 20 yards this season:

The reaction.

The knocking on wood.

The “Geez.”

The smirk.

All of it was perfect.

Is Ryan Day as good an ac-tor as he is a football coach?

 PLAYERS OF THE GAME. Ohio State was a little late in revealing the team’s Players of the Game against Ohio. Nevertheless, I’ve recognized the Buckeyes’ previous Players of the Game in the Skull Session, so I will do it again here — even if the Bobcats left Columbus over 100 hours ago.

ICYMI: The Eleven Warriors Three Stars of the Game were Jeremiah Smith, Arvell Reese and Caden Curry. Through three weeks, Reese is the frontrunner to be named the Eleven Warriors Star of the Year with five “points.” Smith and Sayin are close behind him with four points and three points.

 SONG OF THE DAY. “What's Going On” – Marvin Gaye.

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