Welcome to the Skull Session.
The Pro Buckeyes new threads look cleaaaaaan.
1st rounders in their new digs pic.twitter.com/RlC5jWSXGW
— Ohio State Football (@OhioStateFB) May 26, 2026
Have a good Wednesday
THIS GUY GETS IT. Reminder: Jeremiah Smith hates That Team Up North.
During an interview with NFL Media this month, the interviewer asked Smith to share something he likes about Michigan.
Ohio State WR Jeremiah Smith is next up @OhioStateFB | @Jermiah_Smith1 pic.twitter.com/9UygPe1ral
— NFL (@NFL) May 14, 2026
“Nah, I don’t like nothing about them,” Smith said with a smile.
That’s my superstar.
A CHIP ON HIS SHOULDER? One development I’ve loved to see during Ohio State’s offseason is that Julian Sayin has received enough praise to be recognized as one of the best quarterbacks in college football — but not the best quarterback in college football entering 2026.
National analysts drool over Texas’ Arch Manning, Notre Dame’s CJ Carr and Oregon’s Dante Moore. Miami’s Darian Mensah and Ole Miss’ Trinidad Chambliss are in that conversation, too, along with LSU’s Sam Leavitt and USC’s Jayden Maiava.
This week, ESPN’s David Hale ranked all 138 FBS quarterback situations entering 2026. He placed Mensah, Carr, Chambliss and Manning in Tier 1A, titled “Room at the top.” Sayin landed in Tier 1B, titled “Great, but also has Jeremiah Smith.”
Here’s part of what Hale wrote about the top tier overall:
Carr and Sayin both entered the season as untested starters who battled for the QB1 job deep into fall camp, inheriting offenses with superstars ready to carry a heavy load. Both proved they were up to the task of steering elite offenses, yet both came up short of lofty goals. Where their paths diverge now, however, is that Carr will be the centerpiece of Notre Dame in 2026 with Jeremiyah Love moving on to the NFL, while Sayin still has Smith at his disposal as he enters his second season as the Buckeyes’ starting QB.
Normally, I’d complain that Sayin deserves more credit and yada yada yada. But I’ve actually come to love the idea that he’s received enough recognition to be viewed as one of the nation’s top signal-callers — without getting so much hype that he forgets there’s still work to do.
There’s nothing wrong with entering a season with a chip on your shoulder, especially at Ohio State, where the Buckeyes often seem to play their best when their backs are against the wall.
ROAD WORK AHEAD. Where can Julian Sayin specifically improve entering his second year as Ohio State’s starter? ESPN’s Jordan Reid spoke with NFL evaluators this month while scouting the strengths and weaknesses of 22 college quarterbacks.
Where he excels: Sayin excelled in his first season as a starter, finishing with 3,610 passing yards and 32 touchdowns to eight interceptions. He's a point guard-like distributor whose game centers on accuracy. His 77% completion percentage led all passers last season. His placement makes the after-catch process seamless for receivers, as he puts the ball on the proper parts of their frames. Sayin repeatedly takes what defenses give him underneath while also being aware of when to loft throws downfield. His alertness with protections at the line is also obvious, as he gets a lot of freedom to alter playcalls.
Where he needs work: Sayin doesn't have ideal size, and his lack of arm strength to drive the ball into tight areas is apparent, resulting in few throws in the middle of the field. The Buckeyes' offense has a lot of predetermined deep throws to the outside and quick-game concepts attacking the off coverage by defenders. Pre- to post-snap coverage rotation was a constant battle for Sayin last season, especially in losses to Indiana and Miami. Scouts also want to see Sayin use his mobility more. His youth (20 years old) might lead him to wait until 2028 to enter the draft.
I found Reid’s point about Sayin’s age interesting. Yes, he’s 20, but he’ll turn 21 on July 23. That’s young, but not unusually young for a successful college or NFL quarterback.
To me, Sayin’s age becomes irrelevant given his experience. He started 14 games in 2025, and if Ohio State makes another national title push, he could enter the NFL draft with around 30 career starts. Alabama’s Ty Simpson — who is almost identical in size to Sayin at 6-foot-1 and 211 pounds compared to Sayin’s 6-foot-1 and 208 pounds — was the No. 13 overall pick in April despite making only 15 career starts for the Crimson Tide, all coming in 2025.
If Sayin continues improving his pre- and post-snap recognition while becoming more willing to use his mobility, there’s no reason he can’t become the best quarterback in college football this fall and one of the top picks in the 2027 NFL draft.
MONEY, MONEY, MONEY… MONEY! The Columbus Dispatch’s Joey Kaufman reported Tuesday that Ryan Day earned a $100,000 bonus after Ohio State football posted a cumulative GPA of nearly 3.4 during the 2024-25 academic year.
The six-figure bonus increased Day’s total incentive pay to $450,000 for the year, which also included bonuses tied to Ohio State’s appearance in the Big Ten Championship Game and the College Football Playoff. With those incentives included, Day’s total compensation exceeded $13 million for the year.
Something that made me laugh on Tuesday — probably because it’s graduation and wedding season — was the thought of Day writing dozens of thank-you cards to the players who boosted the team GPA over the past two semesters.
Dear PLAYER,
Thank you for being a good student. You helped me earn a bonus that I will use to buy (fill in the blank).
Love,
Coach Day
In all seriousness, Day should consider directing that $100,000 toward Ohio State’s Student Athlete Support Services Office (SASSO). Imagine what it would mean if 100 staff members each received a $1,000 bonus for their work supporting student-athletes throughout the fall and spring semesters. That would be awesome.
SONG OF THE DAY. "Hold My Hand" and "Only Wanna Be With You" - Hootie & the Blowfish.
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