\n Welcome to the Skull Session. <\/p>\n
\n\tCold Talks are back!\n<\/p>\n
Ohio State All-Time Mt. Rushmore pic.twitter.com\/lnyafnK3Nj<\/a>\n\t<\/p>\n \t\u2014 Ohio State Football (@OhioStateFB) August 5, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n \n\tHave a good Wednesday.\n<\/p>\n \n\t\u00a0\u201cHE\u2019S A FREAK OF NATURE.\u201d Ohio State opponents have praised Jeremiah Smith all summer \u2014 Curt Cignetti<\/a>, Sherrone Moore<\/a> and Steve Sarkisian<\/a> among them. We can now add Texas defensive back Michael Taaffe to the list. (We could have added him to the list in July, but I didn\u2019t see his comments until now, so I\u2019m adding him now!)\n<\/p>\n \n\t\u201cMan, what he does on that football field, it doesn\u2019t seem like a real human\u2019s doing that because he\u2019s just so unique, he\u2019s inspirational and (he has) all the talent. He\u2019s still only 19 years old,\u201d Taaffe said at SEC Media Days. \u201cIt\u2019s gonna be really fun going against him because he\u2019s a freak of nature. I\u2019ve watched a lot of his routes \u2014 almost all of them, dang near, from last year. Seeing how he gets in and out of routes, seeing how he runs full speed, seeing how he stacks DBs, and one of the best things about him, one of his attributes, is going up and getting the football. You can put three DBs on him, but if you put it up in the air, he\u2019s gonna go get it, which is really cool.\u201d\n<\/p>\n \n\t\tNo Bulletin Board Material here. Texas safety Michael Taaffe with very high praise for Ohio State wide receiver Jeremiah Smith. pic.twitter.com\/9pF1PKy2iG<\/a>\n\t<\/p>\n \t\u2014 BuckeyeHuddle.com (@BuckeyeHuddle) August 5, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n \n\tThat wasn\u2019t the first time Taaffe complimented Smith.\n<\/p>\n \n\tBefore Ohio State faced Texas in the Cotton Bowl, Taaffe told Eleven Warriors<\/a> that Smith already looked like an NFL wide receiver as a freshman in college.\n<\/p>\n \n\t\u201cEverything that he offers is incredible. He\u2019s a guy that looks like he\u2019s NFL-ready already on tape,\u201d Taaffe said. \u201cHe\u2019s going up and getting the ball over two, three defenders. I think they\u2019ve got a lot of trust in him.\u201d\n<\/p>\n \n\tHe added, \u201cI don\u2019t think you can compare anybody to Jeremiah. The whole country knows what type of talent he has, what type of football player he is. I think he\u2019s only getting better.\u201d\n<\/p>\n \n\tSmith had his worst performance of 2024 against Texas, as the Longhorns employed bracket coverage to limit the star receiver to one catch for 3 yards. Smith said his individual performance in the CFP semifinal has made him extra motivated for the 2025 season opener.\n<\/p>\n \n\t\u201cI\u2019m definitely hyped about this one, especially with how things went last year \u2014 things people saying about me, about that game I had last year,\u201d Smith said. \u201cI\u2019m definitely hungry for this one.\u201d\n<\/p>\n \n\t\u00a0ALL HAIL KING JULIAN!\u00a0This week, ESPN\u2019s Bill Connelly <\/a>ranked the most important college football players in 2025. After an offseason of reading how incredible Smith and Caleb Downs are, I expected to see them appear at No. 1 and No. 2 on the list. However, the first Buckeye to appear was Julian Sayin at No. 6, with Smith and Downs checking in at No. 24 and No. 25.\n<\/p>\n \n\tHere\u2019s a look at Connelly\u2019s list:\n<\/p>\n \n\tNo. 1 Texas quarterback Arch Manning, No. 2 Georgia quarterback Gunnar Stockton, No. 3 Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson, No. 4 Notre Dame quarterback CJ Carr and No. 5 Oregon quarterback Dante Moore…\n<\/p>\n \tNo. 6 – Julian Sayin<\/p>\n \n\t\tHe has completed five career passes, all in fourth-quarter garbage time, and now he likely takes the reins for the defending national champ and a team that has ranked worse than seventh in offensive SP+ just once in eight years. There’s massive pressure that comes with that, and at some point Sayin will have to make some big third-down passes. But he’ll be throwing to the best receiver duo in the sport (Jeremiah Smith and Carnell Tate). That will help.\n\t<\/p>\n \n\tNo. 7 Penn State quarterback Drew Allar, No. 8 Clemson quarterback Cade Klubnik, No. 9 LSU quarterback Garrett Nussmeier, No. 10 Miami quarterback Carson Beck, No. 11 South Carolina quarterback LaNorris Sellers, No. 12 Florida quarterback DJ Lagway, No. 13 Oklahoma quarterback John Mateer, No. 14 Texas A&M quarterback Marcel Reed and No. 15 Ole Miss quarterback Austin Simmons…\n<\/p>\n \n\tBehold, here comes a non-quarterback!\n<\/p>\n \n\tNo. 16 Clemson\u2019s top three wide receivers, No. 17 Penn State defensive tackle Dani Dennis-Sutton, No. 18 LSU linebacker Harold Perkins Jr., No. 19 Oregon running back Makhi Hughes, Georgia wide receiver Zachariah Branch, No. 21 Oregon safety Dillon Thieneman, No. 22 Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia and No. 23 Georgia Tech quarterback Haynes King…\n<\/p>\n \tNo. 24 – Jeremiah Smith, No. 25 Caleb Downs<\/p>\n \n\t\tIt was going to be almost impossible for Smith, a Hollywood, Florida, product, to live up to his recruiting hype. He did so almost immediately. He topped 80 receiving yards in 10 games and hit triple digits in five, including an all-time, 187-yard, two-touchdown performance against Oregon in the CFP quarterfinal (and his first Rose Bowl trip). Smith and Carnell Tate will give Julian Sayin the ultimate security blanket.\n\t<\/p>\n \n\t\tMeanwhile, though it was hard to be inspired by Ryan Day’s decision to replace outgoing defensive coordinator Jim Knowles with former Bill Belichick prot\u00e9g\u00e9 Matt Patricia \u2014 last truly strong performance as a coach: 2016; last year coaching in college: 2003 \u2014 Downs will give the Buckeyes basically a second coordinator on the field. He’s an almost perfect safety. He made 12 tackles at or near the line of scrimmage last season, delivered pressure on 31% of his pass rushes and gave up a 29% completion rate and 0.7 QBR when paired up in coverage. Ohio State faces a huge challenge, attempting to repeat as champ with a new starting QB and two new coordinators. But the Buckeyes could have the two best players in the sport. And that could be enough.\n\t<\/p>\n \n\tIt could be enough.\n<\/p>\n \n\tBut will it be enough?\n<\/p>\n \n\tI sure hope so!\n<\/p>\n \n\t\u00a0THE BEST OF THE BEST. I believe Denzel Burke is the best cornerback in the National Football League. Yes, I am a Cleveland Browns fan, and therefore biased, but even if I didn\u2019t root for the most miserable franchise in professional sports, I\u2019d have the same opinion.\n<\/p>\n \n\tI think Browns defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz would, too.\n<\/p>\n \n\t\u201cThe way he goes about doing his thing is just impressive to see up close,\u201d Schwartz told reporters<\/a> this week. \u201cI knew some guys that have coached him in the past, and they\u2019d say things like, \u2018You\u2019re going to love Denzel,\u2019 and I certainly do.\u201d\n<\/p>\n \n\tThen, he took it a step further.\n<\/p>\n \n\t\u201cHe\u2019s probably the best corner I\u2019ve had in 30 years in the NFL,\u201d Schwartz said.\n<\/p>\n \n\tFinding a weakness in Ward\u2019s game is difficult. (I only know of one: that his brain really doesn\u2019t like blunt-force trauma, as Ward has been diagnosed with five concussions in his football career, forcing him to miss nine NFL games in seven seasons.)\n<\/p>\n \n\tWard\u2019s strengths, on the other hand, are numerous. He has elite physical attributes. He has sharp instincts. He excels in man coverage, displaying exceptional footwork and mirroring capabilities. He is a strong tackler\u2026\u00a0\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\n \n\tIt\u2019s just \u2014 Ward really is all that and a bag of chips, you know?\n<\/p>\n \n\tSchwartz agrees.\n<\/p>\n \n\t\u201cThe thing I like about Denzel is just how consistent he is with his preparation,\u201d Schwartz said. \u201cHe never phones in a performance. He\u2019s making a big effort this year to be more physical, put hands on, because he\u2019s such a great shadow guy, and he\u2019s working a little bit more now on being a little more physical at the line of scrimmage, giving us a little bit more run support and just sort of rounding out some other parts of the game.\u201d\n<\/p>\n \n\tWard\u2019s teammates Greg Newsome II and Martin Emerson also agree.\n<\/p>\n \n\t\u201cHis name is Denzel Ward and nobody else\u2019s is,\u201d Newsome said. \u201cThere\u2019s no secret. He\u2019s the best cornerback in the league, so we expect him to do that. Like I say, he doesn\u2019t have a weakness. There\u2019s really no secret sauce. It\u2019s just his name is Denzel Ward and nobody else\u2019s is.\u201d\n<\/p>\n \n\t\u201cHe\u2019s the best corner in the game easily,\u201d Emerson said. \u201cJust the plays he makes and how he comes out of his breaks, just a lot of things. You can\u2019t really teach what he\u2019s got, honestly.\u201d\n<\/p>\n \n\tI believe in Ward, Schwartz believes in Ward, Newsome and Emerson believe in Ward, but most importantly, Ward believes in Ward.\n<\/p>\n \n\t\u201cI\u2019m definitely a Defensive Player of the Year caliber player,\u201d he told reporters<\/a> last month. \u201cAnd I just take things a day at a time. Rewards and all that stuff, that\u2019ll come down the road whenever. But my focus is just to be the best I can each day.\u201d\n<\/p>\n \n\t\u00a0THAT\u2019S WHY HE\u2019S THE GOAT! I have thoughts on Tradition Evolved, and I get into them with George Eisner on the Eleven Dubcast.\u00a0\n<\/p>\n \n\tFor now, however, I will share one thought and one thought only. No, it\u2019s not about THE Towel, the soundtrack or any of that. It\u2019s this: I love how much Ohio State has honored Archie Griffin recently. From his spring game touchdown<\/a> to him dotting the \u2018i\u2019 <\/a>and being named the first Victory Bell Ringer, over the past three years, the Buckeyes have put college football\u2019s only two-time Heisman Trophy winner where he belongs: on top.\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\n \n\tIt\u2019s about damn time!<\/a>\n<\/p>\n \n\t\u00a0DAILY DUBCAST.\u00a0Today’s Eleven Dubcast explores the aforementioned “Tradition Evolved” campaign that Ohio State will roll out for Buckeye football fans at home this season.\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\n \n\t\u00a0SONG OF THE DAY. “Ohio” – Caamp.\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\n \n\t\u00a0CUT TO THE CHASE.\u00a0NFL bans smelling salts, saying product can mask concussion symptoms<\/a>…\u00a0College sports embracing Vegas after years of cold shoulder<\/a>… “This is truly a startup”: How the “new”\u00a0Pac-12 is taking shape<\/a>…\u00a0Why kids aren\u2019t falling in love with reading<\/a>…\u00a0Denmark zoo asks for people to donate their pets to feed its predators<\/a>.\n<\/p>\n