Skull Session: Ohio State ranks second in ESPN’s updated SP+ projections, OSU is WRU, and Marvin Harrison Jr. is an all-around college football player
Ohio State has been really good for a very long time. Here is the proof :
Let’s have a good Friday, okay?
BULLDOGS AND BUCKEYES. In Wednesday’s Skull session, I included an article by ESPN’s Bill Connelly that ranked the 75 best quarterbacks in college football of the 2000s. While that article was opinion, what I’m about to say to include from Connelly are facts – data, figures, all that good stuff – in the form of his updated SP+ rankings for 2023.
ESPN’S SP+ TOP 10 SP+ OFF RANKING TEAM. SP+ DEF. SP+ 1 Georgia 29.9 41.9 11.9 2 Ohio State 29.6 46.4 16.7 3 Michigan 29.2 42.0 12.9 4 Alabama 27.9 44.2 16.3 5 LSU 25.2 41.6 16.4 6 Tennessee 23.9 45.5 21.6 7 USC 23 0.6 46.4 22.8 8 Penn State 23.5 37.5 14.0 9 Texas 23.3 40.4 17.1 10 Florida State 21.6 38.4 16.8
On Thursday, Connelly posted a post-Spring SP+ top 25 now that the transfer portal has slowed down, conference media days are approaching, and we’re officially under 100 days from September 2, “college’s first true Saturday. 2023 football season”, compared to week 0.
Connelly’s SP+ formula, which measures return of production, recent recruiting, recent success on the field, and other factors such as tempo and opponent-adjusted efficiency metrics, produced Georgia , Ohio State, Michigan, Alabama and LSU as the top five teams in the nation heading into 2023. Tennessee, USC, Penn State, Texas and Florida State complete the top 10.
Ohio State’s SP+ total score was 29.6 – 0.3 points behind No. 1 Georgia and 0.4 points ahead of No. 3 Michigan. Buckeyes’ offensive score makes USC the best in the country at 46.4, although Connelly has the Trojans as the top-ranked team in that category. Meanwhile, the Buckeyes’ defensive score of 16.7 is the 13th-highest rating in the FBS.
Those three scores should cheer Ohio State fans, as the 2023 Buckeyes look great on paper. Still, the real test of team greatness will come in Bloomington, Indiana, on September 2 and 11 of the next 12 weeks after that (12 of the next 13 weeks if Ohio State reaches the Big Ten championship game at the Lucas Oil Stadium).
As mentioned above, Week 1 of the college football season is less than 100 days away — 99 days so far — and I can’t wait to see what this year’s Buckeyes are made of.
THE STATE OF OHIO IS WRU. As the NFL’s offseason continues, Sam Monson of Pro Football Focus has ranked the 32 best wide receivers in the league heading into 2023. Of the 32, Monson has introduced four Buckeyes: Terry McLaurin, Garrett Wilson, Michael Thomas and Chris Olave, which combined to make Ohio State the most represented school on its roster.
Indeed, Monson added more fuel to the fire that Ohio State is the Wide Receiver U, not Alabama, which had three reps (Amari Cooper, Jaylen Waddle, DaVonta Smith); LSU, which had two (Justin Jefferson and Ja’Marr Chase); or USC, which also had two (Amon-Ra St. Brown and Michael Pittman). The Buckeyes had four, and Brian Hartline promises more are on the way.
While we’ll have to wait and see what kind of success Ohio State’s current and future wide receivers will have in the NFL, we already know what McLaurin, Wilson, Thomas and Olave are capable of at the next level. Here’s where Monson ranked them and some notes he took on past Buckeyes:
(1) Davante Adams, (2) Justin Jefferson, (3) Tyreek Hill, (4) Ja’Marr Chase, (5) Stefon Diggs, (6) Cooper Kupp, (7) AJ Brown
No. 8: Terry McLaurin
Since entering the league, McLaurin has racked up more than 4,200 yards and 460 targets in four seasons with an ugly roster of quarterbacks throwing the football at him. He has a PFF receiving rating of at least 77.1 every season, and passes thrown his way have generated a passer rating of 101.2, significantly above the baseline of the aforementioned quarterbacks.
(9) CeeDee Lamb, (10) Deebo Samuel, (11) Mike Evans, (12) DeAndre Hopkins
No. 13: Garrett Wilson
With Aaron Rodgers at quarterback, Wilson could go to the moon in 2023. As a rookie, he trailed only Deebo Samuel in broken tackles (22) and gained more than 1,100 receiving yards despite a situation. disastrous quarterback with three backup passers trying to get him the ball. He is an exceptional road runner and has excellent body control and post-catch skills.
(14) DK Metcalf, (15) Amon-Ra St. Brown, (16) DJ Moore, (17) Jaylen Waddle, (18) DeVonta Smith, (19) Tee Higgins, (20) Brandon Aiyuk, (21) Chris Godwin, (22) Amari Cooper, (23) Tyler Lockett, (24) Diontae Johnson, (25) Keenan Allen, (26) Brandin Cooks
No. 27: Michael Thomas
Another unknown quantity when it comes to rankings going forward, Thomas was one of the best receivers in the game before injuries completely derailed his career. He’s played in three games over the past two years, but even in those three games he’s caught three touchdowns and scored 22 targets. If Thomas is legitimately healthy in 2023, he could skyrocket in this ranking.
(28) Calvin Ridley, (29) Mike Williams, (30) Michael Pittman, (31) Christian Kirk
No. 32: Chris Olave
Olave’s rookie season was exceptionally efficient, with just one opportunity holding him back from a truly impressive stat output. He gained 2.42 yards per carry, which led all rookie receivers and ranked seventh overall, one spot behind Davante Adams. He was particularly effective as a deep threat, with an average target depth of 14.9 meters in the field.
Yeah, Ohio State is Wide Receiver U. It’s already not close. With Marvin Harrison Jr., Emeka Egbuka and several other talented passers on their way to the NFL in the future, the Grand Canyon-sized difference between the Buckeyes and the next best program will only continue to widen. Marvellous.
99 GLOBAL CLUB. Speaking of Marvin Harrison Jr., if the new EA Sports College Football video game were to come out today, do you think Harrison (or Road Man Marv, or Marvelous Marv, or Super Marv) would be a 99 player? I certainly think so, as do PFF and the Ohio State Football Media Team.
According to PFF metrics, Harrison ranked in the 99th percentile for his overall receiving rating, 98th percentile for man coverage, 99th percentile for zone coverage, 97th percentile for running at foot and 80th percentile for the disputed catch rate in 2022.
Is it good?
Harrison is one of five PFF players listed as 99 potential players overall in EA Sports College Football. The others were USC quarterback Caleb Williams, Michigan running back Blake Corum, Georgia tight end Brock Bowers and Notre Dame offensive tackle Joe Alt.
I’ve heard a lot about this type of Alt lately. Can’t wait to see him play when Ohio State visits South Bend, Indiana on September 23. Specifically, I can’t wait for JT Tuimoloau, Jack Sawyer, Kenyatta Jackson, and Caden Curry to take his lunch money.
As for Harrison, I can’t wait to see what he does in 2023. He’s awesome.
OLYMPIC VILLAGE. It’s summer, and all I can think about is golf. In Thursday’s Skull Session, I wrote that Bo Hoag will be competing in the Memorial Tournament in Dublin, Ohio next weekend – as in, a week from now. What’s not a week away is the Ohio State men’s golf team’s trip to Scottsdale, Ariz., for the NCAA championship on Friday, Saturday and Sunday this weekend.
Ohio State head coach Jay Moseley, a good guy from Bainbridge, Georgia, who exudes southern hospitality (meaning the kind, warm, welcoming nature of the southern Americans, excluding those who use phrases like “Roll Tide” or “Rocky Top”), appeared on 97.1’s “Morning Juice” The Fan to discuss the Buckeyes’ appearance at Grayhawk Golf Club for the national tournament.
“This golf course is quite unique. We will see very warm temperatures here in Arizona. Most of the courses here in Arizona go through transitions here from overseeded winter rye to dormant Bermuda grass, but at Grayhawk they go through transitions here. ‘ve kept as green as they could for TV this week. The greens will be extremely firm, and they cut the water, so those greens will bake all day long. It’s really a huge plus for us to having been here last year and knowing what to expect the guys are connected and ready.
“If we play as well as we can and minimize stupid mistakes, we’ll be in good shape. The golf course is very penalizing if you miss it. … If we stay away from the desert and the snake pits, we’ll give ourselves a big chance.”
Ohio State will start at 10:05 a.m. ET Friday and 3:35 p.m. ET Saturday at Grayhawk Golf Club. The Buckeyes roster will be the same as at the NCAA Auburn Regional, with Maxwell Moldovan, Adam Wallin, JonErik Alford, Jackson Chandler and Neal Shipley starting the team.
If Moseley’s side are to qualify for the match play on Sunday, it will be on the Moldovan’s shoulders. The Uniontown, Ohio native is one of 10 finalists for the 2023 Fred Haskins Award, given to the NCAA’s top individual golfer, after collecting 10 top-10s and seven top-5s in 12 events this season. He will look to add to those totals this weekend at Grayhawk, where he shot 11 over par over 54 holes in 2022.
SONG OF THE DAY. “What’s Love Got To Do With It” by Tina Turner (Because for some reason I didn’t include that on Thursday).
CUT TO HUNTING. America has aged rapidly over the past decade as baby boomers age and births drop. Georgia reminds users of digital driver’s licenses to wear clothes for photos… The boss of DC Comics knows the challenges ahead and the problem that superhero movies can pose.
