Welcome to the Skull Session.
I'm back.
Have a good Monday.
… I-O! Last year, I took a weeklong vacation to Naples, Florida, to soak up some sunshine, eat some excellent food and take long walks along the Gulf. It had all the ingredients of a relaxing getaway, plus one unexpected highlight.
One morning, I wore an Ohio State polo to the beach. As my wife and I walked past Doc's Beach House, someone called out "O-H!" from beneath a beach umbrella. A few moments later, another passerby smiled and said, "Go Bucks!"
I write this morning to report that my latest vacation spot, Bethany Beach, Delaware, is home to Buckeye Nation, too.
After breakfast at 19Dough1 — where I highly recommend the South Bethany Burrito — my wife and I took our usual walk along the beach. This time, she wore an Ohio State sweatshirt as we passed a family flying an Ohio State flag in the ocean breeze. The mom and dad stopped us in our tracks, and the four of us spent several minutes talking about our time in Old Columbus Town.
The exchange felt instantly familiar, like running into old friends hundreds of miles from home. It reminded me that being a Buckeye isn't just about Saturdays in the fall. It's about belonging to a community that stretches across the country — from Columbus to Naples to Bethany Beach.
One Ohio State polo turned a quiet morning in Florida into a pair of memorable interactions. One Ohio State sweatshirt turned a walk on the Delaware coast into a conversation we'll remember for years. That's the kind of connection Buckeye Nation creates. No matter where you are, seeing the Block O has a way of making a place feel a little more like home.
OHIO STATE’S NOT FOR EVERYONE. While on vacation, I missed some headlines about Warde Manuel, David Gabriel Georges and Brady Edmunds. I don’t mean to reopen wounds on Gabriel Georges committing to Tennessee over Ohio State, but I saw a comment about the five-star running back in the Chattanooga Times Free Press that I have to address:
“David loves the game, but at Ohio State, it felt more like football was a chore he had to do, not something he gets to enjoy playing,” a source told Stephen Hargis about choosing the Volunteers over the Buckeyes.
I will not criticize an 18-year-old for choosing to pursue his dreams where he wants. That accomplishes nothing. But there is a truth worth acknowledging: Ohio State isn't for everyone.
Carlos Locklyn put it best when he described how he coaches his running backs:
“It’s a mindset. They didn’t come here for me to be nice to them. I told them, ‘I ain’t your best friend. I’m not trying to be your best friend. If you want to be my friend, guess how you be my friend? Make plays. Do your job. We can be best friends all day then. You told me you wanted to become the best running back and wanted to be developed. Well, guess what that takes? That takes me having tough love sometimes. That takes me having to get at you sometimes. I’m not gonna cheat you because I’m damn sure ain’t gonna cheat myself. I’m gonna go at you.’ I can’t demonstrate it. It ain’t like it’s an act. When I’m out there on the field, I’m going at my kids.”
If you don’t want to play that way, don’t play that way.
MITCHELL MAKES HER MARK. Kelsey Mitchell made the most of WNBA All-Star Weekend in Chicago, reminding everyone why she's one of the league's premier scorers while showcasing the work ethic that has fueled her rise.
The former Ohio State standout led all players with 28 points in Saturday's All-Star Game, needing just 22 minutes to put together the performance. Mitchell shot 11-of-19 from the field, went 5-of-11 from three and added five steals in Team Coop's 129-122 loss to Team Spoon. She caught fire with 11 points in the second quarter on perfect 4-of-4 shooting, then added 10 more in the fourth quarter as Team Coop nearly erased an 18-point deficit.
One of the weekend's funniest storylines? Mitchell picked the pocket of Indiana Fever teammate Caitlin Clark three times, including on the game's final possession.
"It was really strange being on the other side of the ball from her," Clark told reporters afterward. "I swear she doesn't miss any shots, so I'm just really glad she's on my team most of the time because she makes my life really easy."
KELSEY MITCHELL IS BALLING
— WNBA (@WNBA) July 26, 2026
She is tied as the leading scorer of the game with 23 PTS & 5 3PM!#WNBAAllStar2026 | @ATT pic.twitter.com/h1KRUGjUdf
Saturday marked Mitchell's fourth consecutive All-Star appearance, a fitting honor for a player putting together one of the best seasons of her career. Through 27 games, she's averaging 23.3 points while shooting 49.8% from the field and 42.5% from beyond the arc, helping lead the Fever to a 17-10 record and one of the league's highest-scoring offenses.
Mitchell's excellence extends beyond the hardwood. The veteran guard is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Educational Leadership and uses every spare moment to stay on top of her coursework.
"The only time I have to do my work is before my shooting time, and everybody knows that's my time," Mitchell said after the game. "So I try to get as much done as I can, and then after the game, I'll get on the plane, connect to the Wi-Fi, and finish whatever I can before 11:59."
“I’m a basketball player, please let me turn this in late” @Kelz_Hoop spills the tea on balancing life in the @WNBA while earning a PhD in Educational Leadership. pic.twitter.com/nqYdyM1pkV
— PUMA Basketball (@PUMAHoops) July 25, 2026
Scoring a game-high 28 points in the WNBA All-Star Game while balancing the demands of a doctoral program? That's a pretty impressive All-Star weekend for the former Buckeye.
THE BEST IN THE B1G. On Sunday, Scott Dochterman released The Athletic’s preseason All-Big Ten teams, with five Buckeyes making the first team: quarterback Julian Sayin, running back Bo Jackson, wide receiver Jeremiah Smith, linebacker Payton Pierce and safety Jaylen McClain.
| POS | FIRST TEAM | SECOND TEAM | THIRD TEAM |
|---|---|---|---|
| QB | Julian Sayin, so., Ohio State | Dante Moore, jr., Oregon | Jayden Maiava, sr., USC |
| RB | Bo Jackson, so., Ohio State | Darius Taylor, sr., Minnesota | Jordon Davison, so., Oregon |
| RB | Antwan Raymond, jr., Rutgers | Jordan Marshall, jr., Michigan | Waymond Jordan, sr., USC |
| WR | Jeremiah Smith, jr., Ohio State | Griffin Wilde, sr., Northwestern | Evan Stewart, sr., Oregon |
| WR | K.J. Duff, jr., Rutgers | Andrew Marsh, so., Michigan | Tanook Hines, so., USC |
| WR | Charlie Becker, jr., Indiana | Nick Marsh, jr., Indiana | Dakorien Moore, so., Oregon |
| TE | Jamari Johnson, jr., Oregon | D.J. Vonnahme, so., Iowa | Ben Brahmer, sr., Penn State |
| OT | Carter Smith, sr., Indiana | Anthony Donkoh, jr., Penn State | Elijah Paige, jr., USC |
| OT | Trevor Lauck, jr., Iowa | Austin Siereveld, sr., Ohio State | Nathan Roy, so., Minnesota |
| IOL | Kade Pieper, jr., Iowa | Luke Montgomery, sr., Ohio State | Dave Iuli, sr., Oregon |
| IOL | Justin Evans, sr., Nebraska | Greg Johnson, sr., Minnesota | Jake Guaranera, jr., Michigan |
| IOL | Iapani Laloulu, sr., Oregon | Carson Hinzman, sr., Ohio State | Trent Fraley, sr., Michigan State |
| DE | Anthony Smith, sr., Minnesota | Mateo Uiagalalei, sr., Oregon | Kameryn Crawford, jr., USC |
| DE | John Henry Daley, jr., Michigan | Teitum Tuioti, sr., Oregon | Kenyatta Jackson, jr., Ohio State |
| DT | A'Mauri Washington, sr., Oregon | Bear Alexander, sr., Oregon | Bryce Hawthorne, jr., Iowa |
| DT | Tyrique Tucker, sr., Indiana | Mario Landino, jr., Indiana | Jakheem Stewart, so., USC |
| LB | Rolijah Hardy, jr., Indiana | Kooper Ebel, sr., Penn State | Maverick Baranowski, sr., Minnesota |
| LB | Payton Pierce, jr., Ohio State | Daniel Wingate, sr., Maryland | Mason Posa, so., Wisconsin |
| LB | Isaiah Jones, jr., Indiana | Cam Buffington, so., Iowa | Christian Alliegro, sr., Ohio State |
| CB | Brandon Finney Jr., so., Oregon | Jyaire Hill, sr., Michigan | Zeke Berry, sr., Michigan |
| CB | Jontez Williams, sr., USC | Jermaine Matthews, sr., Ohio State | Jamari Sharpe, jr., Indiana |
| DB | Zach Lutmer, jr., Iowa | Xavier Scott, sr., Illinois | D.J. Barksdale, sr., UCLA |
| S | Koi Perich, jr., Oregon | Amare Ferrell, sr., Indiana | Rod Moore, sr., Michigan |
| S | Jaylen McClain, jr., Ohio State | Robert Fitzgerald, sr., Northwestern | Marcus Neal, jr., Penn State |
| P | Hunter Green, sr., Washington | Bryce McFerson, sr., Maryland | Sean West, so., Wisconsin |
| K | Nico Radicic, jr., Indiana | Ryan Barker, jr., Penn State | Kyle Cunanan, jr., Nebraska |
| RS | Jacory Barney, so., Nebraska | Kenneth Williams, jr., Michigan State | Xavier Townsend, sr., Purdue |
I like the first team.
Four Buckeyes.
One Wolverine.
In total, Ohio State had 11 players across the three teams. Joining the five Buckeyes mentioned above were second-teamers offensive tackle Austin Siereveld, interior offensive lineman Luke Montgomery, center Carson Hinzman and cornerback Jermaine Mathews Jr., along with third-teamers defensive end Kenyatta Jackson Jr. and linebacker Christian Alliegro.
Programming note: Be on the lookout for Dan Hope’s preseason All-Big Ten selections for Eleven Warriors on Monday.
SONG OF THE DAY. “Bad To The Bone” - George Thorogood & The Destroyers (a band that started in Wilmington, Delaware!).
CUT TO THE CHASE. Seattle police are searching for two men who parachuted from the Space Needle... Japan’s monkey sensation Punch gets thousands of birthday messages as he turns 1 on Sunday... "Spider-Man" superhero jumps to the aid of a man using wheelchair to cross several lanes of traffic... Ryan Coogler announces David Jonsson as the new Black Panther... Ryan Gosling to star in Marvel’s Ghost Rider movie.
