Skull Session: Jeremiah Smith and Legend Bey Look Massive Amid Summer Workouts with Mick Marotti, Sonny Styles is Off to “A Hell of A Start” with the Commanders

By Chase Brown on June 22, 2026 at 4:55 am
Jeremiah Smith and Legend Bey
Adam Cairns / Columbus Dispatch
6 Comments

Welcome to the Skull Session.

This gem showed up on my timeline over the weekend:

See: Austin Powers three-point turn.

Have a good Monday.

 THANK YOU, DADS. Happy belated Father’s Day to all the fathers who read Eleven Warriors. 

To begin this Skull Session, I wanted to share a message about fatherhood I heard from a dear friend on Sunday:

I know you’ve done some things for your kids you didn’t want to do. I know you’ve gone places you didn’t want to go. I know you’ve spent money you’d rather spend somewhere else. I know you’ve lost sleep. I know you’ve worried. I know you’ve prayed for your kids. I know you’ve carried burdens your child or children never knew — and will never know — you carried. I know you’ve made sacrifices that will never be fully understood. I know you’ve had moments when you’ve wondered if you’re doing any of this right. I know you’ve wished you could protect your child or children from things you knew you couldn’t ultimately prevent. I know you’ve looked at your child or your children and wanted more for them than you’ve wanted for yourself. I know that many of the most important things you’ve done as a father will never appear on a résumé, will never earn applause, and will never be noticed by anyone. But you do it — for your child or your children.

A father’s purpose is often more burden than glory, and fatherhood often feels more like failure than success. But remember, a present father is worth way more than a perfect dad.

Thank you, dads, for all you do.

 BODIES BY MICK. Great googly moogly, Mick Marotti’s strength program is a Pack-a-Punch machine.

I shared photos last week of five-star freshman Chris Henry Jr.’s offseason transformation under Marotti. Now, in a post from Ohio State football, we’re seeing the same leap from Duke transfer defensive back Terry Moore and the continued evolution of Jeremiah Smith in his third year.

I can’t mention Marotti’s program without looking at four-star freshman Legend Bey, who already looks swole in his first summer in Columbus.

Marotti is the mastermind behind the Buckeyes’ strength program, but I also have to credit Anthony Schlegel’s impact since joining the program full-time in 2026. The former Ohio State linebacker has been in the players’ shoes and knows what it takes to train at an elite level in college and professional football. I saw him working with plenty of players at the Woody Hayes Athletic Center during the program’s recruiting camps, and that work is clearly paying dividends.

 “A HELL OF A START.” Who could have guessed? Sonny Styles — an Ohio State captain, Block O recipient and the son of a six-year NFL veteran — is off to an impressive start in his professional career.

Washington Commanders head coach Dan Quinn told reporters last week that Styles, the No. 7 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, has been a perfect fit in the nation’s capital. Quinn said Styles’ processing has been elite; he’s been flying from sideline to sideline, fitting runs and holding his own in coverage.

“He has hit all the marks that you can at this time of year,” Quinn said. “The knowledge, the intensity to go for it.”

Quinn, who has been Washington’s head coach since 2024 and has been in the NFL since 2001, didn’t hide his excitement about having the All-American at the heart of his defense.

“Man, are we pumped with him,” Quinn said.

The Commanders have a clear plan to help Styles succeed in Year 1, and Quinn said his development has been trending steadily upward.

“He has absolutely nailed all the markers up to now,” Quinn said, “and we’ll kind of continue that as we get into training camp, but he’s off to a hell of a start.”

Styles appreciates the praise but remains focused on improving every day.

“The more reps you get, the more confident you get,” Styles said. “So I’m just getting more and more comfortable each rep, slowly learning from the guys around me and the guys I’m going against, and just getting better every day.”

 PROMISING FUTURES AHEAD. The U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills ultimately played out the way it always does — as a test of survival more than scoring — and two Ohio State golfers came away with very different final results.

Neal Shipley handled the first half of the championship with steady control. After earning his way into the field via final qualifying at Springfield Country Club (8-under, 132), he opened with enough composure across the first two rounds to make the cut at +4, right on the number.

From there, the weekend became significantly more difficult. Shipley struggled across the final 36 holes and finished at +14, near the bottom of the group of players who made the cut. Even so, his early-round control ensured he played into the weekend at a course that routinely exposes any lapse in precision or patience.

It was a week defined less by scoring swings and more by endurance. Shipley managed the early grind well enough to extend his championship, but Shinnecock eventually separated him from the middle of the field as conditions and pressure mounted.

Vaughn Harber’s U.S. Open debut ended after 36 holes.

The Ohio State junior earned his spot through final qualifying at Lakes Golf & Country Club in Westerville, but was unable to advance to the weekend. Still, the experience offered a clear introduction to major-championship golf from firm, demanding conditions to the level of execution required to avoid big numbers.

He did have one of the tournament’s best shots, though:

For Harber, the result only tells part of the story. The week provided a baseline for what it takes to compete at this level and how narrow the margin becomes when the best players in the world meet a setup like Shinnecock.

Two Buckeyes entered the field, but only one made it to the weekend. Still, both Shipley, 25, and Harber, 20, showed enough in different ways to suggest promising futures on the links alongside the world’s best golfers. That outcome also reflects well on the trajectory of the Ohio State men’s golf program moving forward.

 SONG OF THE DAY. "WHY" - Jon Bellion feat. Luke Combs.

 CUT TO THE CHASE. Wyndham Clark holds on to win 2026 U.S. Open after squandering lead in final round... Rescue dog Osito steals hearts at the World Cup, one bike ride at a time... America’s first semi-autonomous fighter jet will be built in Columbus, Ohio... Algae blooms, invasive species among challenges for Lake Erie fish... Elmo picks a side in World Cup after his NBA Finals controversy: "Don’t make this a thing".

6 Comments

The Weekender: Cincinnati Denies Agent’s Claim the School Knew of Brendan Sorbsy’s Gambling, the Branch Brothers Share a Great Moment at the CWS and Nebraska Unveils New Uniforms

The Branch Brothers

Ryan Day, Jim Tressel Team Up to Promote Fatherhood at All Pro Dad Experience: “It’s The Best Thing That We Can Do”

Jim Tressel and Ryan Day
View 6 Comments