Welcome to the Skull Session.
Ohio State found its next football communications director in Will Pantages.
We are excited to officially announce that we are moving to Columbus as I have accepted the Sr. Associate AD for Football Strategic Comms position with @OhioStateFB!
— Will Pantages (@WillPantages) March 2, 2026
Wake is a special place and with too many people to thank - Ill just say that were excited for whats ahead! pic.twitter.com/zIjlA7EpGi
He has some big shoes to fill!
Have a good Tuesday.
“DUDES LIKE THAT ARE GOLD.” Michigan State coach Tom Izzo praised Bruce Thornton following the Spartans’ win over the Buckeyes last weekend. Purdue coach Matt Painter followed suit, even after the Boilermakers’ loss on Sunday.
“I know his high school coaches, and that’s all they kept saying is this kid is the biggest winner,” Painter said of Thornton, who had Purdue as one of his four finalists before choosing Ohio State in the 2022 class. “This kid is all about his team. He was all about Milton (High School). Now he’s all about Ohio State. He just wants to win.”
Purdue guarded Thornton well on Sunday, limiting him to just nine shots. However, in Thornton’s greatness, he made six of those attempts (66.7%) while adding five rebounds and two assists in over 37 minutes.
Looking over Thornton’s box score contributions, Painter called him a “multiplier” who creates opportunities for his teammates whenever he’s on the floor. Painter has coached a player like that before. In fact, it was the same player who provided color commentary for the CBS broadcast: Robbie Hummel.
Matt Painter: Big Bruce Thornton guy pic.twitter.com/hMg1uQqdYz
— Marcus Hartman (@marcushartman) March 1, 2026
A three-time All-Big Ten honoree, Hummel averaged 14 points, 6.8 rebounds and 2.1 assists across 127 games at Purdue. He went on to play six years of professional basketball, including three with the NBA’s Minnesota Timberwolves.
“The guy who called the game tonight for CBS is a multiplier,” Painter said. “Robbie Hummel, he never (complained) about things one time. He just wanted to win. He wanted to know why other people didn’t hurt like he hurt after we lost. I said, ‘Well, because they’re not quite wired like you.’ You can’t get enough of that because those dudes make everybody better. The best teams are driven by the Robbie Hummels and the Bruce Thorntons.”
Painter said there’s a reason for that.
“He’s what college basketball is all about,” Painter said. “He could’ve ran. He could’ve transferred. He could’ve done all that stuff. He stayed. He competed. He has fought himself to be in this position. He has a lot of individual accolades but I know the way he’s wired. Good for him to be the all-time leading scorer…”
Soon.
“... but I know he’d trade that to get in the NCAA Tournament. He’s about winning. He’s not about himself. He’s not about the fluff. He’s not about the attention-seeking behavior. He’s about winning, being a good teammate. Dudes like that are gold.”
Come on, you Buckeyes. I want to see that gold shine in the Big Dance!
“PROMISE THAT.” Ohio State’s win over Purdue increased confidence for most Eleven Warriors readers that the Buckeyes will make the NCAA Tournament this season. John Mobley Jr. would call us “Ye of little faith” if he saw that poll — not only because our confidence has wavered, but his never did.
When CBS Sports’ Robbie Hummel asked him if Ohio State would make the NCAA Tournament, Mobley smiled and replied, “Got to.” As he turned to celebrate with Buckeye fans who stormed the court, Mobley said, “And we gonna make a run to too. Promise that.”
Will Ohio State make the NCAA Tournament?
— CBS Sports College Basketball (@CBSSportsCBB) March 1, 2026
"Got to. And we gonna make a run too. Promise that."@OhioStateHoops' John Mobley Jr. with our @RobbieHummel after taking down No. 8 Purdue pic.twitter.com/7WFCpMfplk
OK, Juni. I’ll hold you to it!
THE SHARPS HAVE SPOKEN. Get ready to learn J-E-T-S Jets! Jets! Jets! Arvell Reese.
According to NBC’s Pro Football Talk, Reese is currently the favorite to be the No. 2 overall pick in the 2026 NFL draft with -140 odds. The next-best odds are for Texas Tech outside linebacker David Bailey (+160), followed by Miami defensive end Rueben Bain Jr. (+800), Caleb Downs (+1400) and Sonny Styles (+1500).
The Jets traded defensive end Jermaine Johnson to the Tennessee Titans last week, reinforcing the belief that the franchise will target an edge rusher with the second pick. With 6.5 sacks as a part-time edge rusher and part-time off-ball linebacker last season, the 6-foot-4, 241-pound Reese fits the bill.
Let Arvell Reese rush the passer pic.twitter.com/fmLrUj09B5
— Drew Beatty (@IronCityFilm) February 11, 2026
Reese, who ran a 4.46-second 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine, told reporters he met with the Jets in Indianapolis. He later said it would be “amazing” if New York selected him No. 2 overall.
“I think that’s a serious organization,” Reese said of the Jets. “I respect the guys I’ve met with. I respect that room, for sure.”
I can call the Jets a lot of things. A serious franchise is not one of those things. But hey, it would still be cool to see Reese join Garrett Wilson, Jeremy Ruckert, Josh Myers and (for now...) Justin Fields in the Big Apple in 20226.
WAIT… WHAT NOW? Whether you love or hate Ryan Day, you’ve got — at a maximum — four more years of him as Ohio State’s head coach, according to The Athletic’s Ralph D. Russo.
In a thought exercise tailor-made for the offseason, Russo projected the head coach of each Power 4 school (plus Notre Dame) in 2030. While national championship contenders like Miami (Mario Cristobal) and Indiana (Curt Cignetti) retained their head coaches in this game, Ohio State did not. No, Ryan Day left for the NFL, and the Buckeyes hired James Laurinaitis to replace him.
Since Woody Hayes’ 28-year tenure ended in 1978, no Ohio State coach has held the job more than 13 seasons (John Cooper). Laurinaitis, a former Buckeyes All-American and NFL player, could be in the mix for some lower-profile head coaching jobs this year and primed to take over at his alma mater after Day knocks out a second national title and gives the NFL another shot.
Before I continue, Day has offered no indication that he plans to leave Ohio State for the NFL, now or in the future. But a reminder — this is simply a thought exercise, one that will almost certainly have a low hit rate considering Russo projected head coaching positions for dozens of schools.
So rather than question Russo’s assertion that Day will leave, I’m curious: why Laurinaitis over another Ohio State alum like Luke Fickell (Wisconsin), Marcus Freeman (Notre Dame), Eddie George (Bowling Green), Alex Golesh (Auburn), Brian Hartline (USF), and Mike Jacobs (Toledo)? I don’t hate the pick — Laurinaitis has proven himself in linebacker recruiting and development since taking over the position room in 2024 — but it’s an interesting choice.
Oh, and Russo has another Buckeye joining the head coaching ranks: former quarterback Kenny Guiton. Russo notes that new Colorado athletic director Fernando Lovo has “strong ties to Urban Meyer,” and Guiton is “a well-thought-of young coach.”
SONG OF THE DAY. "Dear Mr. Fantasy" - TRAFFIC.
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