Welcome to the Skull Session.
Money, money, money, money... money!
WRU Stackin’ up
— Ohio State Football (@OhioStateFB) August 2, 2026
#DevelopedHere pic.twitter.com/sg6VnJyE3X
Have a good Monday.
THE BUCKEYES ARE (ALMOST) BACK. When Ohio State opens preseason camp this week, the Buckeyes will welcome several key contributors back to the practice field.
During Big Ten Media Days last week, Ryan Day said the players who were sidelined by injuries this spring will all be back on the field for camp, including offensive linemen Austin Siereveld, Phillip Daniels, Joshua Padilla and Jake Cook; running backs Bo Jackson, Isaiah West and Legend Bey; tight end Bennett Christian; linebacker Riley Pettijohn; cornerback Jay Timmons; and safety Earl Little Jr.
“It’s good to get all those guys back and have a full summer with them, which has been great,” Day said. “Now we’re ready for the preseason and everything looks good. I think it was the right thing to do. At the end of the year, you’ve got to clean up your shoulders, you’ve got to clean up your knees. All that went well.”
Ohio State’s first three practices will take place Thursday, Friday and Saturday, and all three will be open to fans — for the low, low price of $48 for general admission or $143 for VIP access. Gates open at 8 a.m. each day, with the team expected to take the field around 8:50 a.m. Practice will run from 9 a.m. to noon.
Eleven Warriors editor Dan Hope, new reporter Lyle Alenstein and I will be in attendance for all three practices. Here’s who we’ll speak with after each session:
- Thursday: Day, offensive lineman Luke Montgomery, cornerback Devin Sanchez and linebacker Payton Pierce
- Friday: Bo Jackson, tight end Nate Roberts, defensive end Kenyatta Jackson Jr. and Little
- Saturday: Quarterback Julian Sayin and defensive back Jaylen McClain
After a long offseason of roster turnover, recovery and preparation, Ohio State finally gets back to work this week. The Buckeyes’ pursuit of another championship officially begins Thursday.
DUDES OF THE WEEK(S). Several Buckeyes finished the summer on a high note.
With preseason camp just around the corner, Ohio State recognized three separate groups of Dudes of the Week — players who stood out during offseason workouts with strength coach Mick Marotti.
The first group included wide receiver Brock Boyd, tight end Nate Roberts, offensive lineman Gabe VanSickle and linebackers Riley Pettijohn and Eli Riggs.
Dudes of the week pic.twitter.com/IWC4nQ80xp
— Ohio State Football (@OhioStateFB) July 22, 2026
The second group featured running back Stanley Jackson Jr., offensive linemen Ian Moore and Jake Cook, and defensive backs Leroy Roker and Brenten "Inky" Jones.
Dudes of the week pic.twitter.com/AL0gNpmtT9
— Ohio State Football (@OhioStateFB) July 29, 2026
The final group consisted of wide receiver Jeremiah Smith, tight end Bennett Christian, offensive lineman Simon Lorentz, defensive tackle James Smith — who looks massive in this photo... I mean, geez ow — and safety Terry Moore.
DUDES of the Week pic.twitter.com/Fe0u5o7ErI
— Ohio State Football (@OhioStateFB) July 30, 2026
On Ohio State's Instagram post announcing the honors, Jeremiah Smith joked that his recognition was long overdue.
"About time, Coach Mick," Smith wrote.
Considering Smith's work ethic, he has a point. Then again, there's nothing wrong with giving the best player in college football extra motivation to go harder, better, faster, stronger this offseason.
“BRINGING MORE HARDWARE BACK.” As if Jeremiah Smith needed any extra motivation.
At Big Ten Media Days, Smith said he wants to win the Biletnikoff Award and the Heisman Trophy while chasing Ohio State's all-time receiving records this season. He needs just 39 receptions, 341 receiving yards and nine touchdown catches to pass Emeka Egbuka (205 receptions), Michael Jenkins (2,898 receiving yards) and Chris Olave (35 receiving touchdowns) in those categories.
But individual accolades aren't at the top of Smith's priority list. More than anything, he wants to add more hardware to Ohio State's trophy case.
“Bringing more hardware back to Ohio State — that’s what a perfect season would look like,” he said.
To help make that happen, Smith said he wants to elevate everyone around him.
“That’s what all the greats did — Tom Brady, Kobe Bryant, that’s what LeBron James is doing — so that’s what I’m trying to do. I’m trying to leave the jersey better than I found it,” he said.
Ryan Day said he's seen that leadership and determination from Smith throughout the offseason.
“He’s the elder statesman in the room, and everybody on that team is looking up to him,” Day told reporters at Big Ten Media Days. “He has a certain level of respect nationally, from the little kids to all the above, because of the way he plays, but most importantly in that locker room on the team. … Everybody’s watching every move he makes, and he’s going to have a big impact again on how we move forward.”
Later in the breakout session, Day called Smith a "gentleman" and a "high-character guy" who does everything the right way on and off the field.
“You have the on the field, you have the off the field and we’re very fortunate he’s a Buckeye,” Day said. “He’s done so many great things for us, but I think he wants this year to be his best.”
If Smith's third season really is his best, the Buckeyes have a chance to accomplish everything they're chasing. And if that happens, it should be another unforgettable fall in Columbus.
“IT’S A WHOLE DIFFERENT DEAL.” Ohio State announced Chase Bank as its jersey patch sponsor as Dan Hope and I were making our way to Chicago for Big Ten Media Days. While in the Windy City, I missed a comment from Ryan Day about the agreement, where he admitted he wasn’t initially on board until certain provisions were made.
“I do want to say, in full disclosure, when I first heard about this, I knew about the reputation of JPMorganChase, and I was excited,” Day said. “But then I saw the logo, and I said absolutely not. We’re not doing this.”
This is pretty good, the idea of a blue logo on an Ohio State uniform.
— Joe Nugent (@joenuge) July 28, 2026
Ryan Day said "absolutely not, we're not doing this."
As the Buckeyes announce their jersey patch deal with JPMorgan Chase. Same goes for Chase, they have no interest in a scarlet colored logo. @nbc4i pic.twitter.com/lJ5vT5ufWY
Chase Bank’s traditional logo is blue — one of Michigan’s primary colors and a color Ohio State coaches, players and staff are prohibited from wearing inside the Woody Hayes Athletic Center.
Ohio State athletic director Ross Bjork told Day that JPMorganChase agreed to display its logo in black and white instead of blue.
“I said, OK,” Day said. “Then it’s a whole different deal because that was absolutely not gonna happen.”
Think hatred doesn’t belong in the Ohio State-Michigan rivalry? Buckeyes hate Wolverines so much they’ve practically declared war on an entire color. The animosity runs that deep.
SONG OF THE DAY. "Loser" - Tame Impala (Go see Spider-Man: Brand New Day — it slaps).
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