Welcome to the Skull Session.
Any teammate?
Any song?
Ohio State's players have answers.
Files kept from Spring
— Ohio State Football (@OhioStateFB) June 2, 2026
Any teammate, any song pic.twitter.com/5vzuGMdRcI
Have a good Wednesday.
“WE’RE COMING FOR YOU.” Colin Simmons makes me laugh.
In an interview with On3’s Pete Nakos this week, Texas defensive end Colin Simmons sent a message to Ohio State: “We’re coming. There’s business to be taken care of.”
“We’re coming…” said the man whose team enters the Week 2 matchup at home as somewhere between a 1.5- and 2.5-point favorite.
Ever since Ohio State beat Texas in the 2025 opener, Longhorns defensive end Colin Simmons has had the 2026 rematch circled: Theres business to be taken care of. https://t.co/yNLQgS9Rlb
— Eleven Warriors (@11W) June 2, 2026
As 12th Warrior Darksungm said in the comments of our Tuesday post, this threat fails on every conceivable level.
I also have a message for Ohio State: please remind Jeremiah Smith that Simmons won the Shaun Alexander Freshman of the Year award over him in 2024, and please remind Phillip Daniels that Simmons called him “trash” in the 2025 season opener.
Thanks in advance.
Looking forward to seeing how Simmons responds on Sept. 12.
ALL THINGS NEW. Ohio State’s roster features plenty of new faces in 2026 — 51, in fact. According to ESPN’s Billy Tucker, five Buckeyes rank among the top 100 newcomers in the sport.
Here’s what Tucker wrote about Earl Little Jr., James Smith, Chris Henry Jr., Legend Bey and Qua Russaw, including Ohio State’s need for each player and the value they bring to the Buckeyes.
No. 28 - Earl Little Jr., S
Need: Ohio State reloaded its secondary this offseason after losing Caleb Downs, Davison Igbinosun and Lorenzo Styles Jr. to the NFL draft. One of the Buckeyes' most important additions was Earl Little Jr., who brings immediate-impact potential to a rebuilt defensive backfield. Coach Ryan Day said this spring that Little "flashed early" before missing time following a minor knee procedure, though he is expected to be fully available this summer.
Value: Little plays instinctive football with the versatility to line up deep or closer to the line of scrimmage. He has the speed and range to cover ground in center field along with the short-area quickness to handle slot receivers in space. Against the run, he plays with a downhill, attacking mentality and consistently triggers quickly into running lanes. His versatility and physical style should help Ohio State offset the loss of several key defensive backs from last season.
No. 47 - James Smith, DT
Need: An Ohio State defense looking to reload after seven players were selected in the NFL draft added value with Smith, an Alabama transfer at defensive tackle. With the departure of Kayden McDonald, the Big Ten Defensive Lineman of the Year, Smith steps into a role he filled quickly this spring. He should be an immediate impact player for the Buckeyes this fall with both run-stopping size and disruptive quickness.
Value: Though he has a different playing style than McDonald, the onetime top-25 prospect brings an explosive presence up front. Smith has the quickness to shoot gaps while also possessing the power and strength to hold up against double-teams. He plays with violence against the run and can also make an impact as a pass rusher with experience playing end at Bama under Nick Saban.
No. 51 - Chris Henry Jr., WR
Need: Few newcomers are walking into a more loaded depth chart than Henry, but he might be talented enough to make an immediate impact anyway. With size and elusiveness, Henry will find a significant role on the outside. The top-ranked receiver in the 2026 class has already stood out in a room of future pros and flashed this spring, drawing praise from Ryan Day and teammates alike.
Value: At 6-5, 205 pounds, Henry has a rare combination of size, advanced route-running polish and vertical explosion. He's built to operate outside the numbers, where his long arms, elevation and body control make him a consistent 50-50 winner and red zone mismatch. Few receivers his size can separate, adjust and finish after the catch the way he can. Already drawing strong internal praise from quarterback Julian Sayin and veteran Brandon Inniss, Henry has quickly validated his No. 1 receiver ranking and projects as a future star.
No. 61 - Legend Bey, RB
Need: There's opportunity for Bey to fill a premium need in Ohio State's unsettled backfield. With Bo Jackson and Isaiah West both coming off shoulder injuries, the Buckeyes will lean on a mix of transfers and young depth to stabilize the running back room. Bey is a versatile player who should immediately compete for touches.
Value: A four-star flip from Tennessee and former high school quarterback, Bey brings rare positional flexibility as both a runner and receiver. Ohio State's coaching staff anticipates Bey quickly factoring into the running backs mix, with long-term potential to expand into slot and perimeter usage in a hybrid role reminiscent of Curtis Samuel's deployment in Columbus. Even while limited this spring because of injury, Bey flashed in practice and displayed the dynamic traits that made him a priority recruit. Once fully healthy, Bey's versatility should create mismatches and help him earn early touches in multiple packages.
No. 65 - Qua Russaw, DE
Need: Ohio State lost a slew of key members of its 2025 front seven, so Russaw, a transfer edge from Alabama, is an important infusion of depth at a position of need. Russaw's daily impact throughout the Buckeyes' spring camp drew praise from head coach Ryan Day. In OSU's complex, adjustable scheme, Russaw brings a scheme-versatile skill set and a strong run and pass-rush production.
Value: Russaw was a coveted prospect coming out of high school and flashed at Alabama, but injuries limited his playing time and production over the past two seasons. He is a physically gifted player who can play with great power and leverage at the point of attack. In his time at Alabama, he also flashed the ability to chase down players outside the box with the range to pursue to the boundary. Russaw and fellow Alabama transfer James Smith are needed reinforcements for the Buckeyes' defense.
LSU leads all schools with seven players ranked among the top 100 newcomers. Texas has six, while Ohio State, Michigan and USC all have five.
Important note... None of the following schools have Legend Bey: LSU, Texas, Michigan and USC.
Important note!
MAN VS. MACHINE. Who has the better top 25? Man or Machine? The Athletic’s Stewart Mandel and Sam Khan Jr. asked readers to pick which one they liked better this week: Mandel’s man-made top 25 or Khan’s statistical projection model based on roster talent and intel.
Man (Mandel)
- Indiana
- Ohio State
- Oregon
- Texas
- Miami
- Notre Dame
- Georgia
- Ole Miss
- Oklahoma
- Texas Tech
- Texas A&M
- USC
- LSU
- Washington
- BYU
- Michigan
- Missouri
- Houston
- Louisville
- Alabama
- SMU
- TCU
- Penn State
- Oklahoma State
- South Carolina
Machine (Khan Jr.)
- Ohio State
- Oregon
- Notre Dame
- Texas
- Georgia
- Indiana
- Texas A&M
- Miami
- Alabama
- Ole Miss
- LSU
- Oklahoma
- Michigan
- Texas Tech
- USC
- Tennessee
- Washington
- Florida
- Missouri
- South Carolina
- Penn State
- Auburn
- SMU
- Clemson
- BYU
Because Ohio State is No. 1 according to the Machine, I am obliged to pick it. You all know how much I love The Computers!
STANDING ON BUSINESS. Man, I love sports.
Last week, Texas Tech coach Joey McGuire caught wind of Steve Sarkisian’s comments suggesting Texas’ backups could go undefeated against the Red Raiders’ 2026 schedule.
“There’s a team in our state in another conference with a schedule that I would argue, if I played with our twos and threes, we could go undefeated, and they’ll probably make the CFP this year,” Sarkisian said.
McGuire’s response?
Let’s play each other in Week 1 this fall. Our boosters (probably billionaire businessman Cody Campbell) will pay whatever it takes to make it happen.
Speaking at Big 12 meetings late last week, McGuire said he talked with coaches from Abilene Christian and Texas State — the Week 1 opponents of Texas Tech and Texas — about buying out those contracts. In their place, the Red Raiders and Longhorns could square off in Lubbock or at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, while the Wildcats and Bobcats could play each other.
“We can figure out if their twos and threes can win this conference,” McGuire said.
Joey McGuire shares his initial reaction upon hearing Steve Sarkisian's comments about #TexasTech last week:
— Cole Banker (@colebankertv) May 28, 2026
"I said there's no way they're talking about us... because Sark's a pretty tough guy... I would think if he was talking about us, he'd call us out."
"They can come to pic.twitter.com/q7zS2h8tsv
McGuire acknowledged that fans can take shots at Texas Tech for its 23-0 loss in the CFP quarterfinals last season or for getting blasted 57-7 by Texas in Austin in 2023. But (!) he also pointed out that the Red Raiders beat the Longhorns in 2022 and have wanted another crack at them since Texas left the Big 12 for the SEC in 2024.
“I know he feels really good about his team and he’s making those comments, but man, we would love to play the University of Texas,” McGuire said.
After Texas denied Ohio State’s request to move the 2025 season opener from Fox’s Big Noon Kickoff window to a Sunday night showcase — a game the Longhorns lost anyway before spending the rest of the year complaining it cost them a CFP spot — I know there’s approximately a zero percent chance they accept this challenge.
Still, I love seeing McGuire stand on business here. And I’ll never pass up an opportunity to watch Sark and Texas get humbled.
SONG OF THE DAY. "Hardest Part" - Olivia Dean and Leon Bridges.
CUT TO THE CHASE. SMU signs former MLB player Jordyn Adams to football scholarship: 26-year-old was a five-star recruit in 2018... Flower gardens endure hot, dry summers better if you choose these plants... Under Notre Dame cathedral, a 'dig of the century' unearths 1,700 years of history... Steampunk festival creates an unlikely capital for Victorian style and sci-fi oddity in New Zealand.
