\n Welcome to the Skull Session. <\/p>\n
\n\tThe Pro Buckeyes new threads look cleaaaaaan.\n<\/p>\n
\n\t\t1st rounders in their new digs pic.twitter.com\/RlC5jWSXGW<\/a>\n\t<\/p>\n \t\u2014 Ohio State Football (@OhioStateFB) May 26, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n \n\tHave a good Wednesday\n<\/p>\n \n\t\u00a0THIS GUY GETS IT. Reminder: Jeremiah Smith hates That Team Up North.\n<\/p>\n \n\tDuring an interview with NFL Media this month, the interviewer asked Smith to share something he likes about Michigan.\n<\/p>\n \n\t\tOhio State WR Jeremiah Smith is next up @OhioStateFB<\/a> | @Jermiah_Smith1<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/9UygPe1ral<\/a>\n\t<\/p>\n \t\u2014 NFL (@NFL) May 14, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n \n\t\u201cNah, I don\u2019t like nothing about them,\u201d Smith said with a smile.\n<\/p>\n \n\tThat\u2019s my superstar.\n<\/p>\n \n\t\u00a0A CHIP ON HIS SHOULDER? One development I\u2019ve loved to see during Ohio State\u2019s offseason is that Julian Sayin has received enough praise to be recognized as one of the best quarterbacks in college football \u2014 but not the best quarterback in college football entering 2026.\n<\/p>\n \n\tNational analysts drool over Texas\u2019 Arch Manning, Notre Dame\u2019s CJ Carr and Oregon\u2019s Dante Moore. Miami\u2019s Darian Mensah and Ole Miss\u2019 Trinidad Chambliss are in that conversation, too, along with LSU\u2019s Sam Leavitt and USC\u2019s Jayden Maiava.\n<\/p>\n \n\tThis week, ESPN\u2019s David Hale<\/a> ranked all 138 FBS quarterback situations entering 2026. He placed Mensah, Carr, Chambliss and Manning in Tier 1A, titled \u201cRoom at the top.\u201d Sayin landed in Tier 1B, titled \u201cGreat, but also has Jeremiah Smith.\u201d\n<\/p>\n \n\tHere\u2019s part of what Hale wrote about the top tier overall:\n<\/p>\n \n\t\tCarr and Sayin both entered the season as untested starters who battled for the QB1 job deep into fall camp, inheriting offenses with superstars ready to carry a heavy load. Both proved they were up to the task of steering elite offenses, yet both came up short of lofty goals. Where their paths diverge now, however, is that Carr will be the centerpiece of Notre Dame in 2026 with Jeremiyah Love moving on to the NFL, while Sayin still has Smith at his disposal as he enters his second season as the Buckeyes\u2019 starting QB.\n\t<\/p>\n \n\tNormally, I\u2019d complain that Sayin deserves more credit and yada yada yada. But I\u2019ve actually come to love the idea that he\u2019s received enough recognition to be viewed as one of the nation\u2019s top signal-callers \u2014 without getting so much hype that he forgets there\u2019s still work to do.\n<\/p>\n \n\tThere\u2019s nothing wrong with entering a season with a chip on your shoulder, especially at Ohio State, where the Buckeyes often seem to play their best when their backs are against the wall.\n<\/p>\n \n\t\u00a0ROAD WORK AHEAD. Where can Julian Sayin specifically improve entering his second year as Ohio State\u2019s starter? ESPN\u2019s Jordan Reid<\/a> spoke with NFL evaluators this month while scouting the strengths and weaknesses of 22 college quarterbacks.\n<\/p>\n \n\t\tWhere he excels: Sayin excelled in his first season as a starter, finishing with 3,610 passing yards and 32 touchdowns to eight interceptions. He’s a point guard-like distributor whose game centers on accuracy. His 77% completion percentage led all passers last season. His placement makes the after-catch process seamless for receivers, as he puts the ball on the proper parts of their frames. Sayin repeatedly takes what defenses give him underneath while also being aware of when to loft throws downfield. His alertness with protections at the line is also obvious, as he gets a lot of freedom to alter playcalls.\n\t<\/p>\n \n\t\tWhere he needs work: Sayin doesn’t have ideal size, and his lack of arm strength to drive the ball into tight areas is apparent, resulting in few throws in the middle of the field. The Buckeyes’ offense has a lot of predetermined deep throws to the outside and quick-game concepts attacking the off coverage by defenders. Pre- to post-snap coverage rotation was a constant battle for Sayin last season, especially in losses to Indiana and Miami. Scouts also want to see Sayin use his mobility more. His youth (20 years old) might lead him to wait until 2028 to enter the draft.\n\t<\/p>\n \n\tI found Reid\u2019s point about Sayin\u2019s age interesting. Yes, he\u2019s 20, but he\u2019ll turn 21 on July 23. That\u2019s young, but not unusually young for a successful college or NFL quarterback.\n<\/p>\n \n\tTo me, Sayin\u2019s age becomes irrelevant given his experience. He started 14 games in 2025, and if Ohio State makes another national title push, he could enter the NFL draft with around 30 career starts. Alabama\u2019s Ty Simpson \u2014 who is almost identical in size to Sayin at 6-foot-1 and 211 pounds compared to Sayin\u2019s 6-foot-1 and 208 pounds \u2014 was the No. 13 overall pick in April despite making only 15 career starts for the Crimson Tide, all coming in 2025.\n<\/p>\n \n\tIf Sayin continues improving his pre- and post-snap recognition while becoming more willing to use his mobility, there\u2019s no reason he can\u2019t become the best quarterback in college football this fall and one of the top picks in the 2027 NFL draft.\n<\/p>\n \n\t\u00a0MONEY, MONEY, MONEY\u2026 MONEY! The Columbus Dispatch\u2019s Joey Kaufman<\/a> reported Tuesday that Ryan Day earned a $100,000 bonus after Ohio State football posted a cumulative GPA of nearly 3.4 during the 2024-25 academic year.\n<\/p>\n \n\tThe six-figure bonus increased Day\u2019s total incentive pay to $450,000 for the year, which also included bonuses tied to Ohio State\u2019s appearance in the Big Ten Championship Game and the College Football Playoff. With those incentives included, Day\u2019s total compensation exceeded $13 million for the year.\n<\/p>\n \n\tSomething that made me laugh on Tuesday \u2014 probably because it\u2019s graduation and wedding season \u2014 was the thought of Day writing dozens of thank-you cards to the players who boosted the team GPA over the past two semesters.\n<\/p>\n \n\t\tDear PLAYER,\n\t<\/p>\n \n\t\tThank you for being a good student. You helped me earn a bonus that I will use to buy (fill in the blank).\n\t<\/p>\n \n\t\tLove, \n\tIn all seriousness, Day should consider directing that $100,000 toward Ohio State\u2019s Student Athlete Support Services Office (SASSO). Imagine what it would mean if 100 staff members each received a $1,000 bonus for their work supporting student-athletes throughout the fall and spring semesters. That would be awesome.\n<\/p>\n \n\t\u00a0SONG OF THE DAY. “Hold My Hand” and “Only Wanna Be With You” – Hootie & the Blowfish.\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\n \n\t\u00a0CUT TO THE CHASE.\u00a0USMNT names 2026 World Cup roster after leaks<\/a>…\u00a0USMNT’s final World Cup roster has Pochettino taking risks<\/a>…\u00a0The Caitlin Clark Machine is turning on Caitlin<\/a>…\u00a0I traveled to 3 countries with 30 strangers who all love the same books<\/a>…\u00a0Couple recounts close encounter with shark while kayaking<\/a>…\u00a0Clarence B. Jones, civil rights activist who helped write MLK\u2019s “I\u00a0Have a Dream”\u00a0speech, dies at 95<\/a>.\n<\/p>\n
Coach Day\n\t<\/p>\n