Skull Session: Ryan Day Wants Ohio State to Be “Really Good” in the Fourth Quarter This Season, Luke Montgomery Continues to Dominate in the Weight Room This Summer

Chase Brown — Friday, June 19, 2026 - 04:55

Welcome to the Skull Session.

Work week (almost) done.

Daily deposits pic.twitter.com/JyKe2GANb1
— Ohio State Football (@OhioStateFB) June 18, 2026

Have a good Friday.

“WE’VE GOT TO BE REALLY GOOD AT THAT.” To navigate Ohio State’s brutal 2026 schedule, Ryan Day knows the Buckeyes need to be “really good” in the fourth quarter.

Those are the words Day chose when discussing the topic with ESPN’s Adam Rittenberg, who interviewed the head coach and several of his players during Ohio State’s 7-on-7 tournament on Wednesday.

“We’re going to have to win games in the fourth quarter this season,” Day said. “Look at the schedule that we have. We’ve got to be really good at that.”

2025 captain and winter Iron Buckeye Brandon Inniss agreed. He said the Buckeyes fell short in that area last season, especially in the team’s losses to Indiana and Miami.

“We lost two games at the end of the year because of the fourth quarter,” Inniss said. “We didn’t finish. That was our fault. We could have won that Miami game. We could have won the Indiana game.”

Those painful losses have fueled more than just Inniss. Payton Pierce said the defeats are “all that we’re thinking about” during offseason workouts with strength coach Mick Marotti. That’s made the players edgy (as Day would describe them), and it’s led to some fights, too, Pierce said.

“There’ll be some confrontations, there’ll be some little bit of yelling, a little bit of guys getting after one another, and it’s so good for us, because you have to play in the chaos in the fourth quarter, and you’ve got to have mature guys who are at their very best,” Pierce said. “I think guys are going to be ready this season to go dominate in the fourth quarter.”

If Ohio State wants to have success in the final 15 minutes, Julian Sayin will need to be the best version of himself. His performances in the Big Ten Championship Game and Cotton Bowl weren’t the only reasons the Buckeyes lost to Indiana and Miami, but he wasn’t close to the player who earned an invitation to New York for the Heisman Trophy ceremony, and that mattered.

“We didn’t start the way we wanted to, obviously, but we still had an opportunity in the fourth quarter, and I feel like we just didn’t play our best,” Sayin said. “We all came to Ohio State to be in big-time matchups and be in games that matter, fourth-quarter games, two-minute drills. So we’re all really excited about it, and we’ve just been building toward that this offseason.”

That’s the good stuff.

Ohio State’s players still feel those losses. They haven’t moved on from them, and they don’t want to. A team with national championship aspirations shouldn’t be comfortable after falling short in the biggest moments.

The Buckeyes know their 2026 schedule will present plenty more fourth-quarter tests. If the lessons from Indiana and Miami have truly stuck, if the edge Day, Pierce and Inniss describe is real, and if Sayin plays like the quarterback everyone expects him to be, Ohio State should be better equipped to handle them when they arrive.

THEY DON’T KNOW BO. Also from ESPN, Eli Lederman and Max Olson ranked college football’s top 10 running backs entering 2026. Surprisingly (or unsurprisingly?), Bo Jackson did not make the cut.

Coming off a season with 1,090 rushing yards and six touchdowns, Jackson appeared in the Others Receiving Votes tier behind Georgia’s Nate Frazier, Rutgers’ Antwan Raymond and… Michigan’s Jordan Marshall… balright.

Lederman and Olson’s top 10 is, in order: Kewan Lacy (Ole Miss), Jadan Baugh (Florida), Ahmad Hardy (Missouri), Mark Fletcher Jr. (Miami), Isaac Brown (Louisville), Hollywood Smothers (Texas), Raleek Brown (Texas), Justice Haynes (Georgia Tech), LJ Martin (BYU), Caleb Hawkins (Oklahoma State) and Nate Shepphard (Duke), with the latter two tying for 10th.

First and foremost, Jackson is indubitably a top-10 running back in the sport, and this is a miss from the Worldwide Leader.

Second, I have no concerns about Jackson entering the 2026 season. I do, however, have questions about his backups. Who will emerge as Ohio State’s RB2 this fall? It was Isaiah West late last season, but the Buckeyes now have Florida transfer Ja’Kobi Jackson and potential freshman phenom Legend Bey to think about.

We’ll likely see a committee in the season opener against Ball State, but it will be interesting to see who Ryan Day and Carlos Locklyn lean on when the Buckeyes travel to Austin for a top-tier showdown with Texas on Sept. 12.

I’M #NOTICING… Ohio State has named Dudes of the Week twice this summer — and Luke Montgomery has been featured both times.

The veteran Ohio State offensive lineman earned his second honor this week alongside Alabama transfer defensive end Qua Russaw, walk-on defensive back Ryan Rudzinski and walk-on offensive lineman Jaxon Powell.

Dudes of the Week

@lukeMonty8
@rudzinski_ryan
@QuaRussaw
@JaxonPo97150467 pic.twitter.com/8N9h7haIZl
— Ohio State Football (@OhioStateFB) June 18, 2026

Montgomery started all 14 of Ohio State’s games in 2025, logging 870 snaps and earning a 73.7 overall grade from Pro Football Focus. He went on to earn second-team All-Big Ten honors after the season, while the American Football Coaches Association named him a second-team All-American.

The 6-foot-5, 312-pound lineman looks poised to start at left guard again as a senior. He and Carson Hinzman figure to anchor the interior of an offensive line that will likely feature some combination of Austin Siereveld, Phillip Daniels and Ian Moore rounding out the starting five, though Joshua Padilla and Gabe VanSickle could also push for the right guard spot as they did late last season.

Either way, Montgomery projects as one of Ohio State’s top players up front. He’s already earned preseason All-Big Ten and All-American recognition from Phil Steele and will be in position to add to that list if he and the Buckeyes meet expectations this fall.

Montgomery’s work in the weight room is a strong indicator he’s trending toward that potential in 2026, when he’ll face a loaded slate of defensive fronts from Texas, Iowa, Indiana, USC, Oregon and that Team Up North.

OLYMPIC VILLAGE. Ohio State is PWHLU.

Six Ohio State women's hockey players were selected in the 2026 PWHL Draft on Wednesday, including two first-round picks.

Another successful PWHL Draft for the Buckeyes #GoBucks | #DevelopedHere pic.twitter.com/Sj731gD6pF
— Ohio State Women's Hockey (@OhioStateWHKY) June 18, 2026

Defenseman and captain Emma Peschel was the first Buckeye off the board, going No. 7 overall to the New York Sirens. A first-team All-WCHA selection last season, Peschel recorded 10 goals and 29 assists while anchoring Ohio State's blue line.

Fellow defenseman Sara Swiderski followed shortly after at No. 9 overall to the Minnesota Frost. The breakout senior totaled eight goals and 19 assists in 2025-26, nearly matching the 31 points she combined for across her freshman, sophomore and junior seasons.

Goaltender Andrea Braendli and forward Sloane Mathews weren't far behind, selected at Nos. 15 and 16 overall by Detroit and San Jose, respectively. Both franchises are set to begin play as PWHL expansion teams in 2026-27 and have yet to unveil nicknames.

Brooke Disher became Ohio State's fifth draft pick when the Toronto Sceptres selected her No. 32 overall in the third round, while Hailey MacLeod rounded out the Buckeyes’ half-dozen selections at No. 48 overall to the Montreal Victoire.

Ohio State had 22 players on PWHL rosters in 2025-26, including 21 coached by two-time national champion head coach Nadine Muzerall.

Is that good?

I think that’s good.

SONG OF THE DAY. "Brain Stew/Jaded" - Green Day.

CUT TO THE CHASE. Brazilian soccer fans at the World Cup heed warning not to dress Rocky statue in team gear... An ancient oak tree said to have sheltered legendary Robin Hood has died... TSA isses warning as foreign World Cup fans fall in love with American condiment... "Pink Planet" is surrounded by salty clouds, researchers using Webb telescope find.

Jett Harrison, Top Quarterbacks and Nine New Offers Highlight Ohio State’s Final High School Football Camp of 2026

Dan Hope — Thursday, June 18, 2026 - 20:56

Ohio State’s final high school football camp of 2026 featured an appearance from the Buckeyes’ most prominent target in the 2028 recruiting class.

As the No. 4 overall prospect in the 2028 class and the younger brother of former Ohio State superstar Marvin Harrison Jr., five-star wide receiver Jett Harrison is arguably the Buckeyes’ highest-priority target at any position in his class. He offered a glimpse of why as he worked out with Ohio State wide receivers coach Cortez Hankton during Thursday’s camp at the Woody Hayes Athletic Center.

Harrison, who was projected to eventually commit to Ohio State by Rivals’ Steve Wiltfong earlier this week, only went through drills for about 30 minutes before watching the rest of the camp with the likes of five-star quarterback Christopher Vargas, Northwestern quarterback commit RJ Day and Ohio State’s wide receivers. But even that was enough to see why Harrison is one of the top prospects in the class, as the 6-foot-2, 175-pound receiver consistently caught the ball in his hands, ran crisp routes and showed plenty of explosive athleticism.

Harrison had plenty of talented quarterbacks to catch passes from as the signal-callers at Thursday’s camp included Brady Edmunds, Ohio State’s quarterback commit in the 2027 class; Vargas, the No. 1 quarterback in the 2028 class; Josiah Boyd, the seventh-ranked quarterback in the 2028 class; and Ty Snell, an early candidate to be Ohio State’s top quarterback target in the 2029 class.

Edmunds, who’s in the midst of a five-day visit to Ohio State that could determine whether he stays committed to the Buckeyes or flips to UCLA, looked the part of a Buckeye-caliber passer on Thursday, showing consistent accuracy throughout drills, including multiple deep touchdown passes during the competitive portion of the day.

Ohio State quarterback commit Brady Edmunds ends his day at camp with a deep touchdown throw. pic.twitter.com/rF9c3nzF0V
— Dan Hope (@Dan_Hope) June 18, 2026

After camp, Edmunds met with the media for the second time in two days and said he’s enjoyed his time at Ohio State so far this week but that the real conversations that will determine whether or not he stays committed to the Buckeyes will come this weekend during his official visit.

“Ohio State's where I want to be as of now, it's just, we got to go through the process,” Edmunds said. “Obviously, college football is a crazy thing, so for me to just have a safety blanket with UCLA, just because you never know where this business is going to take you. Whether it's coaches moving around or anything like that, you know, I just got to look out for myself.”

Vargas, like Harrison, only worked out briefly, but stayed to watch the remainder of camp after leading Team 24K to the championship in Ohio State’s 7-on-7 tournament on Wednesday.

Boyd was one of nine players to receive offers after Thursday’s camp, the most offers handed out after any of Ohio State’s six high school football camps over the past two weeks, which included four positional camps and two 7-on-7 tournaments.

Blessed to receive an offer from Ohio State University!
Go buckeyes! @BlairAngulo @adamgorney @BrandonHuffman @SWiltfong_ @GregBiggins @On3 @Rivals pic.twitter.com/Cg3bsleVNn
— Josiah “JoJo” Boyd (@j5_dreamchasing) June 18, 2026

Each of the following players also received offers:

Four-star 2028 Florida running back Xander Edwards

After a great workout and conversation with @Locklyn33, I am blessed to receive an offer from The Ohio State University #agtg @DeshawnBrownInc @CoachRGarth @ryandaytime @timprister @TomLoy247 @LemmingReport @SWiltfong_ @BrandonHuffman @GregBiggins @adamgorney @ChadSimmons_… pic.twitter.com/alTemHY2iP
— Xander Edwards (@Edwards17Xander) June 18, 2026

Four-star 2028 Texas wide receiver Carson LaCombe

After a great camp and conversation with @Coach_Hankton I am blessed to receive an offer from The Ohio State University. @OhioStateFB @cjrecruiting2 @Rivals @On3 @247Sports @Birm @mickdwalker @samspiegs @adamgorney @ESPN300News @LemmingReport @TomLoy247 @Hayesfawcett3… pic.twitter.com/S5fOd3iguk
— Carson LaCombe (@CarsonLacombe22) June 18, 2026

Four-star 2028 Georgia defensive lineman Jamir Lee

Blessed to receive an offer from Ohio State University!!@CoachM_Patrick @R2X_Rushmen1 @CarrolltonTroj1 @Carrollton_High @CoachMasters @CoachJoeyKing @OhioStateFB @SRBuckeyes pic.twitter.com/fPHAWiyP4h
— Thejamirleeshow (@Thejamirlee97) June 18, 2026

2028 Texas running back Khristian White

After a great camp, thank you @TonyJCoach for the offer and opportunity to play at @OhioStateFB. @WRAB50 @shwstppr34 @CyRanchFB @CJVogel_OTF @GPowersScout @adamgorney @TXRecruits @txfblife @On3Recruiting pic.twitter.com/NX4jp2N0XH
— Khristian White (@Khristian_White) June 18, 2026

2028 Rhode Island tight end Gregory Kirwan

After a great day of competition and a strong showing at camp!!! I am proud to say that I have received an offer from The Ohio State University!! Thank you @CoachTMort and coach @CoachKee for everything! I had an amazing time and I can’t wait to see what’s ahead of me!!! Go… pic.twitter.com/gYWkWMKf6F
— Gregory Kirwan (@GregHkir84) June 18, 2026

2028 North Carolina cornerback Domonic Williams Jr.

Blessed to receive an offer from Ohio State Buckeyes football! #AGTG #GoBucks @ChadSimmons_ @CharlesPower @NP_Florida @adamgorney @EdOBrienCFB @BHoward_11 @pepman704 @TheUCReport @TheUCReport pic.twitter.com/60aXHKyjnf
— Domonic Williams Jr. ‘28 4⭐️DB (@DomonicWJr) June 18, 2026

2028 Texas cornerback David Olutu-Judah

Glory to God! Grateful and blessed to receive an offer from @OhioStateFB after an amazing conversation with @tylerwaltonc4! #BuckeyeNation @RecruitKatyFB @Katyfootball @Coach_Alvear @DueceBoogie2 pic.twitter.com/dpBKOP8HkO
— David Olotu-Judah (@davidolotujudah) June 18, 2026

2029 Indiana linebacker Austin Phillips

After a great camp and conversation with @JLaurinaitis55 I’ve been offered a scholarship to play football @OhioStateFB!!!!!#GoBucks @ryandaytime @markpantoni @CoachMcGrath22 @CoachM_Patrick @etwill21 @OSUCoachHinton @CoachDDudley @TomLoy247 @Andrew_Ivins @AllenTrieu… pic.twitter.com/QP3DLqhTDj
— Austin Phillips (@Austin_RB2) June 18, 2026

Other Ohio State targets who participated in Thursday’s camp that already had offers included 2028 Pickerington North defensive back Geo McKnight, who received an offer from Ohio State earlier this month after earning defensive back MVP honors at the Under Armour Next camp at his high school in May.

2028 four-star defensive tackle Aedyn Havili – a product of the same high school (Eastside Catholic in Sammamish, Washington) that produced former Ohio State stars JT Tuimoloau and Gee Scott Jr. – earned an offer from Ohio State after that same Under Armour Next camp, where he was a top performer on the offensive line. He spent Thursday’s camp with Larry Johnson and the defensive line, the position he’s expected to play in college, and was the standout of his position group.

Top-100 2028 prospect Aedyn Havili is working out with Larry Johnson during an Ohio State recruiting camp. pic.twitter.com/dNf6TQ0dBN
— Chase Brown (@chaseabrown__) June 18, 2026

2028 Ohio State running back commit Elijah Newman-Hall was back on campus for the second straight day, though he only watched Thursday’s camp from the sidelines after going through a workout with Ohio State running backs coach Carlos Locklyn on Wednesday.

Four-star 2028 running back and Ohio State commit Elijah Newman-Hall is working out with Carlos Locklyn during the Buckeyes’ 7-on-7 camp. pic.twitter.com/14r70du9qL
— Chase Brown (@chaseabrown__) June 17, 2026

Kaylon Bailey, Ohio State’s top remaining uncommitted linebacker target in the 2027 class, also attended but did not participate in workouts at Thursday’s camp. Bailey, who was previously on campus for his official visit to Ohio State two weekends ago, made the trip to OSU with his Glenville High School teammates. He’s still deciding between Ohio State, Louisville and Colorado after visiting all three schools, but told Eleven Warriors after the camp that he plans to make his commitment within the next two weeks, though he could push his scheduled June 25 commitment back to July 1 or 2.

Top-Ranked 2028 Quarterback Christopher Vargas, Ohio State Wide Receiver Commit Jamier Brown Team Up to Win Ohio State’s 7-on-7 Tournament

Dan Hope — Thursday, June 18, 2026 - 10:25

Wednesday’s 7-on-7 tournament at Ohio State just might have offered a first look at a standout quarterback/wide receiver tandem of the future for the Buckeyes.

Five-star 2027 Ohio State wide receiver commit Jamier Brown and Christopher Vargas, the No. 1 quarterback in 247Sports’ composite rankings for the 2028 class, teamed up to lead the 24K Cold Hearts – a star-studded 7-on-7 team featuring top prospects from all over the country – to victory at Ohio State’s second and final 7-on-7 tournament of the summer. In a 32-team field that otherwise consisted mostly of teams from local high schools, Team 24K went undefeated, outgunning Northwestern quarterback commit RJ Day – the son of Ryan Day – and his DeSales High School team in the championship game.

Vargas, a 6-foot-4, 195-pound junior at St. John’s Preparatory School in Massachusetts, looked the part of the top quarterback in his class as he efficiently led the 24K offense down the field time and time again, demonstrating his accuracy, deep passing skill and ability to throw on the move throughout the day.

No. 1 2028 QB Christopher Vargas with a deep touchdown pass to give Team 24K the lead over Bishop Watterson in the semifinals of Ohio State’s 7-on-7 tournament. pic.twitter.com/MRYdoFDXgX
— Dan Hope (@Dan_Hope) June 17, 2026

Another deep touchdown strike from Christopher Vargas pic.twitter.com/XL0p7C26Dq
— Dan Hope (@Dan_Hope) June 17, 2026

Christopher Vargas, the No. 1 quarterback in the 2028 class, competing in Ohio State’s 7-on-7 tournament today. pic.twitter.com/jWgpsVLuRy
— Dan Hope (@Dan_Hope) June 17, 2026

Brown had plenty of competition for targets on a star-studded team that also included Malachi Lee, the No. 8 receiver in the 2028 class (who received an offer from Ohio State during Wednesday’s tournament), and two other 2028 receivers who also have Power 4 offers in Chase Hancock and Jordyn Murray. Edmund McAllister, a 2029 running back from Pickerington with 20 Division I offers, also suited up for the Cold Hearts offense. But Brown still delivered plenty of highlights on his future practice field, including a leaping touchdown grab in 24K’s semifinal win over two-time defending Division III Ohio state champion Bishop Watterson.

Ohio State wide receiver commit Jamier Brown makes a leaping catch on another touchdown pass from Vargas to extend 24K’s lead. pic.twitter.com/0tslkAuOEM
— Dan Hope (@Dan_Hope) June 17, 2026

For Brown, the 7-on-7 championship kicked off a week at Ohio State that will culminate with his official visit to the Buckeyes. The No. 4 receiver in the 2027 class, who told Eleven Warriors in May that he had shut down his recruitment, already has great familiarity with Ohio State, as he’s been committed to the Buckeyes since November 2024 and regularly spends time on campus now that he’s moved to nearby Sunbury, Ohio, where he’ll play his final high school football season at Big Walnut. Nevertheless, Brown said he and his family are excited for his official visit, which he was originally scheduled to make three weeks ago before rescheduling for this weekend.

“Looking forward to it a lot. I had to push it back, so me and my family are excited about it this weekend,” Brown said. “I'm up here a lot, so it's kind of just like another day for me up here, but just to be back up here again is always a good feeling for me.”

Vargas, meanwhile, got a closer look at one of his top schools by participating in Wednesday’s tournament. The five-star quarterback, who’s held an offer from Ohio State since November 2024, told Eleven Warriors that he’s built a strong relationship with Ohio State’s coaches over multiple years and that Ohio State is “of course” one of his top schools. Vargas is impressed by Ryan Day’s track record of developing quarterbacks, particularly C.J. Stroud, whom Vargas said he models his game after.

Ohio State has plenty of competition for Vargas, who holds offers from many of the nation’s top programs. Some of the other schools standing out in his recruitment include Virginia Tech, Washington, Oregon, Texas A&M and Miami, Vargas said, while he also visited USC and UCLA this summer. But there’s strong mutual interest between Vargas and Ohio State, and it certainly doesn’t hurt the Buckeyes’ chances that they have Brown to help recruit him.

“I mean, he's the fastest player in the country, so it's great to throw to him,” Vargas said of Brown.

Having caught passes from Vargas for a couple of months now through their 7-on-7 affiliation, Brown says he “definitely” wants Vargas to join him at Ohio State.

“He’s a real good quarterback. He’s a smart quarterback, makes all the right decisions. So I think he’ll definitely be great in the future,” Brown said.

Other notable players on Wednesday’s championship-winning team included:

Kei’Shjuan Telfair, a four-star Penn State cornerback commit in the 2027 class
Sean Torbert, a 2028 defensive back from Cincinnati who holds an Ohio State offer and is is the younger brother of 2027 Ohio State cornerback target Monsanna Torbert Jr.
Zion Green, a four-star 2028 defensive back from Florida
Tristin Hughes, a four-star 2027 Kentucky safety commit
Zion Dobson, a 2028 cornerback from North Carolina with double-digit Power 4 offers
Dante Shipp, a three-star 2028 defensive back from Sandusky, Ohio
Kameron Lowe, a 2029 cornerback from Michigan who already holds six Power 4 offers

Elsewhere in the tournament, 2027 Ohio State quarterback commit Brady Edmunds quarterbacked the House team ahead of his official visit to OSU this weekend.

With Edmunds throwing the ball, the House team went undefeated in pool play before falling to Upper Arlington and Reign St. Clair – the younger brother of Ohio State second-string quarterback Tavien St. Clair – in the second round of tournament play.

Deep-ball touchdown pass from Brady Edmunds. pic.twitter.com/C4jfrW2VGE
— Dan Hope (@Dan_Hope) June 17, 2026

St. Clair and the Golden Bears were defeated in the next round by DeSales, who went on to beat Pickerington North in the semifinals before falling in the championship game.

Fun matchup in the quarterfinals of Ohio State’s 7-on-7 tournament: RJ Day and DeSales vs. Reign St. Clair and Upper Arlington.

Day, a Northwestern commit in the 2027 class, is the son of Ryan Day. St. Clair, a 2028 QB, is the younger brother of Ohio State QB Tavien St. Clair.… pic.twitter.com/BQbXrRU4IU
— Dan Hope (@Dan_Hope) June 17, 2026

Skull Session: Ohio State Still Ranks No. 1 in ESPN’s Preseason Top 25; the Buckeyes Lead the Big Ten in SP+ with Nation’s No. 2 Offense and No. 1 Defense Entering 2026

Chase Brown — Thursday, June 18, 2026 - 04:55

Welcome to the Skull Session.

Another BOOM!

Buckeye Nation Im home ‼️ https://t.co/yt2GkxGTPG
— Jaden Carey 4 ⭐ DB (@JadenCarey22) June 18, 2026

Keep 'em comin'!

Have a good Thursday.

THEY ARE (STILL) NO. 1! Ohio State remains No. 1 in ESPN’s latest preseason top 25.

The Worldwide Leader updated its poll following news that Texas Tech quarterback Brendan Sorsby has declared for the NFL supplemental draft.

“While the next step of his NFL journey is still to be determined, there’s no doubt it will have a huge impact on college football in 2026,” Mark Schlabach wrote. Even so, the development had little to no impact on Ohio State’s standing as the top team in the sport entering the fall.

ESPN'S PRESEASON TOP 25
RANK	TEAM	CONFERENCE
1	Ohio State	Big Ten
2	Oregon	Big Ten
3	Georgia	SEC
4	Notre Dame	Independent
5	Texas	SEC
6	Indiana	Big Ten
7	Miami	ACC
8	Ole Miss	SEC
9	Texas A&M	SEC
10	LSU	SEC

“With quarterback Julian Sayin, tailback Bo Jackson and all-world receiver Jeremiah Smith returning, the Buckeyes should be back in the national championship hunt,” Schlabach wrote. “Ohio State’s offense is going to be difficult to stop, especially if its offensive line improves. Coach Ryan Day hired former NFL head coach/offensive coordinator Arthur Smith to replace offensive coordinator Brian Hartline. That recipe worked on defense, as former NFL defensive coordinator Matt Patricia has turned Ohio State’s unit into one of the sport’s best. Ohio State will have to navigate one of the most demanding schedules in the FBS, including games at Texas, Indiana, Iowa, Nebraska and USC.”

The Buckeyes rank No. 1 ahead of Oregon, Georgia, Notre Dame and Texas in the top five. Indiana, Miami, Ole Miss, Texas A&M and LSU round out the top 10.

Ohio State’s 2026 schedule features six ranked opponents, beginning with matchups against Oregon, Texas and Indiana. The Buckeyes will also face Michigan, ranked No. 14 in Schlabach’s poll, as well as Iowa and USC, which check in at Nos. 19 and 20.

ESPN’s Bill Connelly’s SP+ (more on this in the next section) ranks Ohio State’s strength of schedule No. 4 in the nation. The Buckeyes will have plenty of opportunity to prove it. I’d expect this slate to better prepare them for the postseason than last year’s schedule, which lacked the same level of punch as the 2026 slate.

THE COMPUTERS! Oh, The Computers! I’ve missed The Computers!

This week, ESPN’s Bill Connelly released a Big Ten preview featuring his trademark SP+ projections for all 18 conference programs. Ohio State leads the way at No. 1, followed by Oregon, Indiana, USC, and Michigan. Penn State, Washington, Iowa, Illinois, and Nebraska round out the top 10.

Connelly’s model assigns Ohio State a 31.8 SP+ rating — 3.6 points clear of second-ranked Oregon (28.2). The Buckeyes also boast the No. 2 offense (40.5), No. 1 defense (8.8) and No. 67 special teams unit (0.1). In SP+ simulations, Ohio State’s average win total is 10.2, tied with Oregon for the highest mark in the Big Ten. Indiana follows at 9.9, with USC (7.8) and Michigan (7.5) rounding out the top tier.

Another Connelly projection, via the College Football Power Index framework, puts Ohio State at 7.5 average conference wins — best in the league — and gives the Buckeyes a 41.4% chance of finishing with 11 or more wins in 2026. They also have a 100% chance to win six or more games, which, if you’ve followed this program for the past 50 years, shouldn’t be a surprise.

Because of those numbers, Connelly views Ohio State as the No. 1 conference title (and, therefore, CFP) contender this season. His full breakdown of the Buckeyes is below:

Through 12 games last season, Ohio State was basically untouchable: Day's Buckeyes survived a cautious slog between first-year starting QBs (Julian Sayin vs. Arch Manning) in a 14-7 win over Texas, then plowed through everyone in their path, winning the next 11 games by an average of 39-8. There were some training wheels in place for Sayin — the Buckeyes played at the slowest tempo in the country, and Sayin's average pass distance was low -- but they finished the season ranked first in success rate. They were ruthlessly efficient. Everything was going according to plan.

But when it was time to shift into gear late in the season, they couldn't do it. Ohio State scored 24 total points against Indiana (in the Big Ten championship game) and Miami (in the CFP quarterfinals) as a conservative plan backfired in both games. Day elected to settle for a tying field goal try late (which was missed) on fourth-and-1 from the Indiana 9 instead of going for the lead. And against Miami, the Buckeyes trailed 14-0 at halftime and mounted a second-half comeback, but they continued to keep the tempo so low that they got only three real second-half possessions. They had a seven-play, four-minute punting drive in the fourth quarter. Totally unacceptable.

Now it's time for the training wheels to come off. Sayin has experience, as does sophomore running back Bo Jackson, one of the nation's better backs (and a huge yards-after-contact presence) by the end of the season. Sayin has a vastly experienced line in front of him — three starters return, including two All-Big Ten performers (guard Luke Montgomery and tackle Austin Siereveld) — and he, of course, still has Jeremiah Smith. The junior receiver will enjoy his last dance in Columbus after having produced 2,558 receiving yards and 29 total touchdowns in two seasons.

Smith will need some new dance partners, as Jackson and senior Brandon Inniss are the only other returnees targeted more than five times last year. But between transfer receivers Devin McCuin (UTSA) and Kyle Parker (LSU), transfer tight ends Hunter Welcing (Northwestern) and Mason Williams (Ohio) and five-star freshman Chris Henry Jr., someone excellent probably will emerge.

*inhale*

*exhale*

*inhale*

*exhale*

After the pro-to-college success of defensive coordinator Matt Patricia last season, Day dipped into that well again, hiring Arthur Smith as offensive coordinator. Smith was an NFL offensive coordinator or head coach for seven seasons, but he really only succeeded at Tennessee, where he had Derrick Henry to lean on, and he has plenty of safe, quick horizontal passing in his history. The run game will be almost unquestionably excellent, and the offense will still carve through most opponents. We'll see what happens in the big games.

The offense also might need to carry more weight this season because of defensive regression. Patricia's first defense was nearly perfect — the Buckeyes ranked first in defensive SP+ for the second straight year — but of the nine defenders who started all 14 games (few teams boasted that level of continuity and injury luck), only two return: safety Jaylen McClain and corner Jermaine Mathews Jr. Three Buckeyes defenders went in the first 11 picks of the NFL draft, and another two went in the second round.

Recruiting obviously hasn't dropped off in Columbus, and new young stars will emerge, probably from a pool of sophomores, including end Zion Grady, linebacker Riley Pettijohn, corner Devin Sanchez and safety Leroy Roker III. But this could be a major transition year, as evidenced by the fact that Day signed eight defensive transfers. Two Alabama transfers -- end Qua Russaw and tackle James Smith — could start, as might edge rusher Christian Alliegro (Wisconsin) and safeties Earl Little Jr. (Florida State) and Terry Moore (Duke).

The schedule is also much rougher. Manning and Texas get a rematch in Austin in Week 2, and the Buckeyes also face trips to Indiana, USC and Iowa, and welcome Oregon in early November. They're the No. 1 team in the country, per SP+, so they're projected favorites in all of these games, but unlike last season, cruise control won't be as much of an option. The schedule and the defensive turnover might force them to play with more urgency this season, and honestly, that could benefit them significantly come December and January.

Hey, that's what I said!

BACK IN THE GAME. Dennis Hopson is returning to college coaching.

This week, NAIA Florida Poly named Hopson the inaugural head coach of its new men’s basketball program. The Ohio State legend joins the Phoenix after a two-year hiatus from the college ranks. He previously served as head coach at Lourdes (NAIA) in Sylvania, Ohio, from 2019-24. His coaching résumé also includes a stint at Bedford High School (2014-15) and assistant roles at Bowling Green (2009-14) and Division II Northwood (2007-09).

In a press release Tuesday, Florida Poly athletic director Derek Lower called Hopson “the best person to lead us in our inaugural basketball season.” Hopson said he is honored to lead young men who will find success both on the court and in the classroom.

“I think my background means a whole lot to this process, and I will use it to get players to come here,” Hopson said. “I used to be them, and I know the importance of going to a school that’s in a great situation with a great location and sound academics that also has a strong basketball program.”

Championship experience is coming to #FLPolyAthletics. Dennis Hopson, an NBA champion alongside Michael Jordan on the 1991 Chicago Bulls, has been named the inaugural head coach of our men’s basketball program. https://t.co/dh4sCGoqPw
— Florida Polytechnic University (@FLPolyU) June 16, 2026

He added: “Schoolwork and other things can be stressful, so we want to make this where it’s not about the sport; it’s about what the sport can do for you. … We’re going to learn a lot of life lessons through the game of basketball because you’re going to live a lot longer than you play the game.”

While Hopson’s coaching résumé is extensive, his playing career is even more decorated. The 1987 Big Ten Player of the Year held Ohio State’s all-time scoring record for 39 years until Bruce Thornton broke it in the 2025-26 season. He went on to play more than a decade of professional basketball, including winning an NBA championship with Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls in 1991.

Given his knowledge of the game and wealth of experience, Hopson looks well-positioned to build something meaningful at Florida Poly. It’s a strong fit on paper, and one that should serve both him and the program well as it gets off the ground.

THERE IS ANOTHER… Ohio State has received a Crystal Ball from Rivals’ Steve Wiltfong to land Marvin Harrison Jr.’s younger brother, Jett.

FONG BOMB: Rivals' @SWiltfong_ has logged an expert prediction for Ohio State to land 5-star WR Jett Harrison

Harrison is the No. 1 overall recruit in the 2028 Rivals300.

Read: https://t.co/xTnCUtV03t pic.twitter.com/asVOPRz5DX
— Rivals (@Rivals) June 17, 2026

Jett Harrison is the No. 2 wide receiver and No. 4 overall prospect in the 2028 class, according to the 247Sports composite, but he was also ranked No. 1 overall in the first and second releases of the Rivals300 for his graduating year.

Harrison scored 10 touchdowns in his first season at St. Joseph’s Prep in 2024, earning MaxPreps Freshman All-American honors while helping lead his team to a PIAA 6A championship. He then caught 50 passes for 849 yards and 20 touchdowns in 2025.

In an interview with Wiltfong in March, Baltimore St. Frances head coach Messay Hailemariam said Harrison is one of the best players he’s seen play at the high school level.

“He’s (effing) unbelievable,” Hailemariam said. “(Five-star Alabama signee) Jireh Edwards said he played against some of the best and that Jett Harrison is going to be one of the best players to touch a high school football field.”

Hailemariam added: “He is completely the real deal. He runs routes really well. He will block. He will do what it takes to be in position. He’ll be a great decoy. Our secondary was like that this past year, and he literally made incredible catches in key situations. We know that ball was going to him, and he still overcame it, and we had a kid going to Auburn, Bama, a kid going to Ohio State (Khmari Bing) and a kid currently committed to Texas A&M.”

I need Harrison to be a Buckeye. Marv was marvelous, and Jett will be jaw-dropping. I know it.

SONG OF THE DAY. "I'm On Fire" - Bruce Springsteen.

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Four-Star Cornerback Jaden Carey Commits to Ohio State

Dan Hope — Wednesday, June 17, 2026 - 18:55

Ohio State added two cornerbacks to its 2027 class in four days.

Three days after Deontay Malone became the first cornerback in Ohio State’s 2027 class, Tim Walton and the Buckeyes landed another top cornerback target on Wednesday as four-star Florida cornerback Jaden Carey announced his commitment to the Buckeyes.

The moment @JadenCarey22 committed to @OhioStateFB. https://t.co/WpzvAIYqfj pic.twitter.com/8hrMry3OKs
— Tom Loy (@TomLoy247) June 17, 2026

Carey, who is ranked as the No. 42 cornerback and No. 384 overall prospect in the 2027 class, chose Ohio State over Miami and Auburn, his other finalists among a list of 40 offers that also included Florida, Florida State, Georgia, Indiana, Notre Dame, Oklahoma, Ole Miss, Oregon, Penn State and Texas A&M, among others.

The Carey File

Class: 2027
Size: 6-0/170
Pos: CB
School: St. Thomas Aquinas (Fort Lauderdale, Florida)
Composite Rating: ★★★★
Composite Rank: #384 (#42 CB)

Carey chose Ohio State over Miami even though his father, Marcus Carey, played for the Hurricanes alongside current Miami head coach Mario Cristobal.

“They believed in me since the jump,” Carey said of why he committed to Ohio State during his announcement live stream. “They showed the most love to me throughout this recruiting process, especially to not only me but my family, always taking care of them.”

Carey becomes the second player from St. Thomas Aquinas High School in Ohio State’s 2027 recruiting class, joining defensive end Wyatt Smith. St. Thomas Aquinas, a Fort Lauderdale powerhouse that has won seven straight state championships, is also the alma mater of former Buckeye stars Nick and Joey Bosa.

Carey hopes to add a third St. Thomas Aquinas defender to the class. Asked by 247Sports’ Tom Loy after his announcement who he’ll be peer-recruiting to join him at Ohio State, Carey said he wants to flip four-star Notre Dame safety commit Zayden Gamble to the Buckeyes.

“I’m gonna flip Zayden Gamble, watch,” Carey said, drawing a laugh from his teammates.

Carey also plays for the heralded South Florida Express 7-on-7 team, which has produced a bevy of Ohio State stars in recent years, including Jeremiah Smith, Carnell Tate and Brandon Inniss.

Weighing in at 6 feet and 170 pounds, Carey could play either cornerback or nickel at Ohio State. While he’ll need to add some weight to prepare for the physicality of playing in the Big Ten, his film shows a gifted athlete and cover corner who excels at making plays on the ball.

Carey becomes the fourth defensive back in Ohio State’s 2027 recruiting class, joining Malone and safeties Eli Johnson and Angelo Smith, who made their official visits alongside Carey from June 5-7. Carey is the second commitment of June for the Buckeyes and Ohio State’s 15th overall commit for the 2027 class.

Ohio State 2027 Football Commits (15)
Player	Pos	Ht/Wt	Stars	Natl Rank	Pos Rank	High School
DJ JACOBS	DE	6-5 / 235	★★★★★	4	1	Blessed Trinity Catholic (Roswell, GA)
JAMIER BROWN	WR	5-11 / 192	★★★★★	23	4	Big Walnut (Sunbury, OH)
WYATT SMITH	DE	6-6 / 235	★★★★	78	11	St. Thomas Aquinas (Fort Lauderdale, FL)
KELLEN WYMER	OL	6-5 / 265	★★★★	81	5	Liberty Center (Liberty Center, OH)
PRINCE GOLDSBY	LB	6-3 / 205	★★★★	93	6	Blue Springs South (Blue Springs, MO)
ELI JOHNSON	S	6-3 / 200	★★★★	203	17	Cibolo Steele (Cibolo, TX)
BRADY EDMUNDS	QB	6-5 / 220	★★★★	220	18	Huntington Beach (Huntington Beach, CA)
QUINTON CYPHER	LB	6-2 / 220	★★★★	248	20	Millbrook (Raleigh, NC)
DEONTAY MALONE	CB	6-0 / 182	★★★★	284	33	Massillon Washington (Massillon, OH)
BRODY MCNEEL	OL	6-5 / 285	★★★★	316	30	Godwin (Richmond, VA)
JIMMY KALIS	OL	6-8 / 290	★★★★	328	34	Central Catholic (Pittsburgh, PA)
MASON WILT	OL	6-5 / 295	★★★★	362	18	St. Clairsville (Saint Clairsville, OH)
JADEN CAREY	CB	6-0 / 170	★★★★	384	42	St. Thomas Aquinas (Fort Lauderdale, FL)
DAVIS SEAMAN	OL	6-4 / 290	★★★★	423	24	Bishop Watterson (Columbus, OH)
ANGELO SMITH	S	5-10 / 170	★★★	866	86	Chaminade-Madonna (Hollywood, FL)
Data via 247Sports

Ohio State could soon add a third cornerback to its 2027 class as the Buckeyes are also viewed as the frontrunner to land in-state cornerback Monsanna Torbert Jr., who visited the Buckeyes alongside Malone this past weekend. Torbert would likely be the final cornerback in Ohio State’s 2027 class.

“It Would Be a Tough Thing to Walk Away From”: Brady Edmunds Still Weighing Whether to Stay Committed to Ohio State or Flip to UCLA

Chase Brown — Wednesday, June 17, 2026 - 14:31

Brady Edmunds has been committed to Ohio State for over 18 months, but an official visit this weekend could determine whether he ever plays for the Buckeyes.

“I got a couple of questions I want to ask,” Edmunds told reporters during Ohio State’s 7-on-7 tournament on Wednesday. “At the end of the day, I think wherever I end up, I think I’m gonna make the most of it. So just communicate with the staff and just getting through it.”

Edmunds' questions include whether Ohio State plans to add a second quarterback to its 2027 class and what his role would be with the Buckeyes early in his college career. Edmunds said he has “no problem” with another signal-caller joining him next year, so long as Ryan Day and Billy Fessler share the same vision.

“I just want to make sure we’re on the same page with everything and how we go about this correctly,” he said. “I think it’s been OK so far, but just making sure everything’s good and so I can make the best decision at the end of the day.”

Edmunds made an official visit to UCLA on June 5. He told reporters Wednesday he had a great experience and that he has a growing relationship with the program’s new head coach, Bob Chesney, who led James Madison to a College Football Playoff appearance last season. His comments aligned with remarks he made in an interview with Rivals' Adam Gorney the week after he visited the Westwood neighborhood of Los Angeles.

“The visit went really, really well,” Edmunds told Gorney. “Whatever expectation I had it definitely surpassed it. I’m still getting through my Ohio State OV and camp. As of now, I don’t know where I’m going. … UCLA definitely hit the spot. My family really loved it there. It definitely won them over so just trying to navigate from here and we’ll see in the next month-and-a-half or so.”

Edmunds says Ohio State and UCLA are the only schools he’s seriously considering. He told reporters Wednesday that some other Big Ten and SEC schools have also reached out to him about visits, but he doesn't see himself as a fit at those programs.

“My biggest thing that I’m focused on is if football is taken away from me can I see myself there? There’s a lot of schools that I don’t see myself there. UCLA and Ohio State are just those major two,” he said.

“If for whatever reason it ends up going the other way, it would be a tough thing to walk away from. I’ve been a part of this for so long, obviously committed for 18-plus months, one of the longest commits in all of the class, so it means a lot.” – Brady Edmunds on his Ohio State Commitment

If Edmunds were to flip to UCLA or another school, he said the decision would be difficult. As the second commitment in Ohio State’s 2027 class behind five-star wide receiver Jamier Brown, Edmunds has been pledged to the Buckeyes for a year and a half. He has been a fan of the program for even longer.

“If for whatever reason it ends up going the other way, it would be a tough thing to walk away from,” Edmunds said of his Ohio State commitment. “I’ve been a part of this for so long, obviously committed for 18-plus months, one of the longest commits in all of the class, so it means a lot. I mean, my family, everything like that. My grandpa obviously being from here. It’s a big deal.”

Edmunds said he does not have an official timeline for making a final decision on his college destination. However, he'd like to make one sooner rather than later.

“There’s a time where I’d like to get it done, and that’s probably as soon as possible,” he said. “But again, I never thought I would really be in this position to begin with, so we’ll see.”

Skull Session: Ohio State is Helping the U.S. Men’s National Team Recover During the World Cup, Ryan Rudzinski Will Fly in an F-16 During the Columbus Air Show

Chase Brown — Wednesday, June 17, 2026 - 04:55

Welcome to the Skull Session.

You see that?

Mini Plans are on sale now

See you in The 'Shoe this fall Buckeye Nation ‼️

️ https://t.co/Tk8Aet8ocq @OhioStateFB | #GoBucks pic.twitter.com/Mek12XbHtl
— Ohio State Buckeyes (@OhioStAthletics) June 16, 2026

We are another step closer to Ohio State football.

Have a good Wednesday.

AT OHIO STATE… Through a partnership with the U.S. Soccer Federation, Ohio State’s Human Performance Collaborative is helping the U.S. Men's National Team recover between matches while conducting research that could shape athlete recovery protocols for years to come.

Joshua Hagen, the collaborative’s director, told Ohio State News that the university is applying research to improve athletic performance and recovery at the global championship. The relationship began during the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, when a colleague approached Hagen about installing a recovery facility inside the team's hotel. The effort evolved into a long-term partnership between U.S. Soccer and Ohio State.

“This is one of my favorite projects,” said Hagen, who also serves as an associate research professor in Ohio State's Department of Integrated Systems Engineering. “I have a passion for recovery science, and I love working directly with athletes and end users. When you pair controlled studies and real-world context — actually talking with athletes about what works — you get the most meaningful impact.”

Ohio State's recovery science combines data collection with practical recovery methods. Researchers monitor workload through heart-rate monitors, GPS tracking and session ratings of perceived exertion while also evaluating physiological markers such as heart-rate variability.

A partnership between @OhioState’s Human Performance Collaborative and the US Soccer Federation, tracing back to an informal collaboration during the 2022 #WorldCup, is translating recovery science into practical tools and protocols for soccer athletes. https://t.co/NwgRQmkruU
— Ohio State News (@OhioStateNews) June 9, 2026

“Once we understand how hard their bodies are working and responding, we need to recover them quickly to get ready for the next day,” Hagen said. “We call these recovery modalities — everything from cold and hot therapy, to sleep and nutrition, to newer tech like red-light and flotation therapy.”

One of the partnership's flagship studies on vibroacoustic therapy is housed within Ohio State's Shoemaker Complex. Hagen describes the technology as "sensory-enhanced meditation and mindfulness," in which athletes recline in a cocoon-like device while listening to intentionally crafted instrumental music paired with subwoofer-driven vibrations. Those vibrations mimic structured breathing techniques such as box breathing and 4-7-8 breathing, helping guide the body into a parasympathetic state associated with rest, recovery and reduced stress.

The partnership has also created opportunities for the next generation of researchers. U.S. Soccer and Ohio State jointly funded former Buckeye soccer player Emaly Vatne through her Ph.D. studies in exercise science and kinesiology. Vatne defended her dissertation this spring and has since joined Denver Summit FC of the National Women's Soccer League while continuing her research.

“Elements of this collaboration have informed the design of our Recovery Lab and our broader effort to upgrade how we approach recovery across U.S. Soccer,” said José María Oliva Lozano, the federation's director of performance innovation. “We see this as an important first step. There is still much to learn about the effects and periodization of different recovery modalities across ages, sexes and competitive contexts.”

The team expects its findings to help shape recovery protocols and improve access to recovery resources for athletes competing at the highest levels. The partnership will continue through future international competition cycles with a focus on scalability, coach education and equitable access to low-cost recovery tools.

“At the end of the day, we're trying to help athletes perform better, reduce injury risk, sleep better and enjoy longer careers,” Hagen said. “And we want to do it the right way, with controlled studies, transparent reporting and direct conversations with the people we serve.”

This is Ohio State.

It’s a super cool — and still somewhat untold — story that shows how the Buckeyes are contributing on the global stage, with the potential to help the United States advance deep into the tournament this summer. If the U.S. continues playing as it did in a 4-1 win over Paraguay in Los Angeles, recovery will become an even bigger factor as the team pushes toward a potential run at the World Cup.

HOMETOWN HERO. Ryan Rudzinski is clear for takeoff.

On Friday, Rudzinski will ride in the backseat of an F-16 with the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds during the 2026 Columbus Air Show at Rickenbacker International Airport.

Rudzinski is the son of former Ohio State linebacker Jerry Rudzinski, who played for the Buckeyes from 1994-98 and was named team captain as a senior. He earned the opportunity to fly with the Thunderbirds through his involvement with the 2nd & 7 Foundation, which “promotes reading by providing free books and positive role models to kids in need while encouraging young athletes in the community to pay it forward,” according to a press release.

This isn’t the first time an Ohio State connection has taken flight at the Columbus Air Show. Three years ago, former Buckeye linebacker Ryan Miller flew with the U.S. Navy Blue Angels ahead of the event. Miller played at Ohio State from 1992-96 and was also selected for his work with 2nd & 7.

In fact, Miller co-founded the nonprofit alongside former Ohio State teammates Mike Vrabel and Luke Fickell. He remains active on its board, while Vrabel and Fickell are listed as emeritus board members on the organization’s website.

The site also offers ways to donate, volunteer and stay up to date on programming, including an upcoming three-day youth football camp at Hilliard Weaver Middle School from June 22-25. The camp emphasizes teaching football fundamentals in a positive, encouraging environment for children ages 7-14, while also featuring guest speakers from the community.

SALES PITCH. Five-star wide receiver Monshun Sales is coming off a visit to Columbus last weekend. The No. 8 overall prospect in the 2027 class — and the second-highest-ranked uncommitted recruit in the cycle behind cornerback John Meredith III — has narrowed his focus to Ohio State, Alabama, Indiana, Miami, Texas and LSU.

Jeremiah Smith and Chris Henry Jr. are helping lead the charge for the Buckeyes to land Sales. As former five-stars themselves — Smith the No. 1 overall prospect in 2024 and Henry the No. 14 overall prospect in 2026 — they understand both the decision-making process at the top of the recruiting board and what it means to ultimately choose Ohio State.

Smith and Henry both commented on Sales’ Instagram post featuring photos from his Ohio State official visit. “Come be great lil bra,” Smith wrote, with Henry adding a fingers-crossed emoji.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by $g (@showtimeb_.1)

Smith has a 100% success rate when peer recruiting for Ohio State. When Henry needed extra time to sign his scholarship agreement following Brian Hartline’s decision to become head coach at USF, Smith quoted one of Henry’s X posts with, “WE NEED YOU!!!!” Henry announced he would sign with the Buckeyes three days later on the Pat McAfee Show.

Let’s hope he continues to bat 1.000 and help get Sales to Columbus in January. Sales and Henry would be a nasty duo for WRU.

GOLF’S TOUGHEST TEST. Former Buckeye Neal Shipley and current Ohio State golfer Vaughn Harber have received their tee times for the first two rounds of the 2026 U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills.

Shipley, who qualified for his second U.S. Open with a 36-hole score of 8-under at Springfield (Ohio) Country Club, will join Matthias Schmid and Bud Cauley at 12:52 p.m. on Thursday and 6:57 a.m. on Friday. The 36-year-old Cauley just won the RBC Canadian Open last weekend, his first PGA Tour win in his 239th start.

"What are we doing boys? $1,000 a birdie?"

We gave the a mic. He did not disappoint. pic.twitter.com/QXiUmCkoh6
— U.S. Open (@usopengolf) June 16, 2026

Harber, who qualified for his first U.S. Open with a 36-hole score of 9-under at The Lakes Golf & Country Club (Westerville, Ohio), will join Jake Peacock and Kaito Onishi at 8:47 a.m. on Thursday and 2:42 p.m. Harber just completed his sophomore year at Ohio State and led the Buckeyes with a 71.97 scoring average across 10 events and 30 rounds in 2025-26.

The U.S. Open is regarded as Golf’s Toughest Test. That’s especially true at Shinnecock Hills, which has hosted the event six times. Brooks Koepka won the most recent U.S. Open at Shinnecock with a score of 1-over. The rest of the top five featured Tommy Fleetwood (+2), Dustin Johnson (+3), Patrick Reed (+4) and Tony Finau (+5).

Good luck to Shipley and Harber this weekend on a course where breaking 100 would feel like a moral victory to the average amateur golfer.

SONG OF THE DAY. "Old Time Rock and Roll" - Bob Seger.

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Ohio State An Early Favorite for Top-Five Overall Prospect Tyzon Swann

Dan Hope — Tuesday, June 16, 2026 - 19:37

When midnight struck Monday and colleges were able to start directly contacting prospects in the 2028 recruiting class for the first time, there was one school that top-five overall prospect Tyzon Swann wanted to hear from most: Ohio State.

“That was the school I was waiting for,” Swann said. “I kind of favor this school.”

Ohio State wasted no time reaching out to Swann on Monday, and just one day later, Swann was in Columbus for Ohio State’s high school football camp on Tuesday. The five-star defensive end’s opinion of Ohio State only became more favorable after he spent the afternoon working out at the Woody Hayes Athletic Center and learning from Ohio State defensive line coach Larry Johnson.

“It was a great experience being here,” Swann said. “Getting to learn from the best, Coach J; getting to learn from (defensive coordinator Matt Patricia). It felt great.”

Swann, who traveled to Columbus on Tuesday as part of the Maryland-based Fast Track Recruits bus tour, has had a busy month visiting schools all over the country, including Alabama, LSU, USC and Michigan, with a trip to Penn State planned on Wednesday. Having already participated in camps with many of college football’s top programs, Swann said what stood out about camping at Ohio State was the way the players were coached.

“Just the work and the effort they want to see, they're pushing you to be great like their players,” Swann said. “Every drill we did out there, their players do, so that shows that they want us to be the best.”

Swann previously visited Ohio State in October for the Buckeyes’ home game against Minnesota, receiving his offer from Ohio State that same weekend. The top-ranked defensive lineman and No. 5 overall prospect in 247Sports’ composite rankings for the 2028 class, Swann said Ohio State’s culture and the love he felt from the community stood out to him during his previous visit, and he felt that again on Tuesday.

Ohio State has long stood out to Swann because of Johnson, who was a legendary high school coach in Maryland – starting his coaching career at Lackey High School, the same school Swann attends – before moving into the college ranks. Swann sees Johnson as college football’s best defensive line coach.

“Being able to come here and learn from him, knowing he's from my area, he's a legend around there, it feels great,” Swann said. “I get to take home stuff from the best defensive line coach in the country.”

Swann says he’s also enjoyed watching Ohio State’s defensive stars over the years, including Chase Young, Nick Bosa, Jack Sawyer, Arvell Reese, Sonny Styles and current defensive end Kenyatta Jackson Jr. Young, in particular, is an inspiration for Swann as a fellow Maryland product.

“Just watching him and then being able to come here, it feels surreal to me,” Swann said.

Swann posted a mind-blowing stat line at Lackey High School as a sophomore, recording 135 total tackles with 50 tackles for loss, 16 sacks and eight forced fumbles. He wants to make those numbers even bigger as a junior, setting goals of 160 tackles, 25 sacks and 10 forced fumbles for the 2026 season, while he also hopes to earn state defensive player of the year honors.

Swann, who plays both defensive end and tackle for Lackey, has added 20 pounds to his frame since last year, measuring in at 6-foot-4 and 265 pounds on Tuesday, which he believes gives him the versatility to play both outside and inside at the collegiate level.

Swann says he hopes to return to Ohio State for a game this fall and plans to make an official visit to OSU next summer.

Ohio State will have plenty of competition for Swann. He already has offers from more than 40 schools and says Florida, Alabama and Auburn are among the other schools standing out to him. With two years of high school still to go, he doesn’t expect to make a college decision until July or August 2027. That said, Johnson and Ohio State have done everything they’ve needed to do so far to emerge as an early favorite in his recruitment.

Additional notes from Tuesday’s camp

Swann was one of three five-star prospects from the 2028 class at Ohio State for Tuesday’s camp along with quarterback Donald Tabron II and cornerback Jermaine Cobbins.

Five-star 2028 quarterback Donald Tabron II among today’s campers at Ohio State. pic.twitter.com/fdSyfsLKwF
— Dan Hope (@Dan_Hope) June 16, 2026

Five-star 2028 cornerback Jermaine Cobbins camping at Ohio State today. pic.twitter.com/9QSUcsLCDt
— Dan Hope (@Dan_Hope) June 16, 2026

Other top prospects from the 2028 class at Tuesday’s camp included New Jersey quarterback Lukas Prock, the sixth-ranked QB in 247Sports’ composite rankings, and four-star Pennsylvania athlete Brandon Murphy Jr., a two-way prospect who’s being recruited by some schools as a wide receiver but worked out at defensive back for Ohio State and had a dominant performance that included back-to-back interceptions in one-on-ones.

Four-star 2028 prospect Brandon Murphy, a two-way athlete camping at defensive back, having an impressive showing at Ohio State camp. This was his second straight interception. pic.twitter.com/p0NQMO9crN
— Dan Hope (@Dan_Hope) June 16, 2026

Seven additional prospects earned offers at Tuesday’s camp:

2029 running back William “Tre” Green III

I am beyond blessed and humbled after a great conversation with @Locklyn33 to receive an offer from The Ohio State University. I would like to thank @ryandaytime, @OhioStateFB, and @coachH2bwill for this incredible opportunity. I am truly grateful for the support and belief in… pic.twitter.com/XU3hRIQxfp
— 4William Tre Green III (@TreGreen29) June 16, 2026

2028 tight ends Jordan McKinley and Faraji Tucker

#AGTG ! After a Great Visit, I’m Extremely Blessed to Receive an Offer from THE Ohio State University! Go Buckeyes! @KylieGreenFB @CoachKee @CoachTMort @TomLoy247 @adamgorney @GregSmithRivals @SWiltfong_ @AllenTrieu pic.twitter.com/loHBkkSfgv
— Jordan McKinley (@Jordan1Mckinley) June 16, 2026

Blessed to receive an offer from The Ohio State University! @CoachKee @CoachTMort @CoachDDudley @CoachJTW @DeshawnBrownInc @TEAMTOARECRUITS pic.twitter.com/l23BoOLyMa
— Faraji Tucker (@FarajiTucker2) June 16, 2026

2029 defensive end Ezarian Fields

After a amazing day of getting coached up by @R2X_Rushmen1 I am blessed to receive an offer from @OhioStateFB @MickensJay @TheProtectUCrew @chasek_52 @JayArnoldTX @coachgcross @ShaunWynn10 @gott1906 @vypehouston @NxgnCamps @NSNationFB @RecruitEastside @PrepRedzone @Rivals pic.twitter.com/OQjcqLo48Q
— Ezarian Fields (@ezarian_fields) June 16, 2026

2028 three-star linebacker Reagan Smith

#AGTG After a great camp and conversation with @JLaurinaitis55 I’m extremely blessed and grateful to have earned an offer from THE Ohio State University!! #GoBucks @ryandaytime @CoachDDudley @Birm @CoachCD20 @Coach_Hill2 @FACEONETRAINING @WeissFootball @sixstarfootball… pic.twitter.com/vwAA49APG5
— Reagan Smith (@Reagan_smith23) June 16, 2026

2029 defensive back Richard Allen IV

After a great camp and an even greater conversation with @MattGuerrieri. I am beyond blessed and grateful to receive an offer from THE Ohio State University. #fight #coachedbyplez #dbhigh pic.twitter.com/MAtEcnsn3I
— Richard Allen IV (@richallen_iv) June 16, 2026

2030 running back CJ Jones

Other members of the Fast Track Recruits bus tour who joined Swann at Ohio State on Tuesday included four-star defensive tackle Tyrone Elee, the younger brother of five-star Maryland freshman defensive end Zion Elee, and four-star safety DeNairo Girton Jr.

Skull Session: Austin Siereveld and Luke Montgomery Among ESPN’s Top NFL Draft Prospects in 2026, Brian Hartline Ranks the Top Five Wide Receivers He Coached at Ohio State

Chase Brown — Tuesday, June 16, 2026 - 04:55

Welcome to the Skull Session.

James Laurinaitis will ring the Victory Bell before Ohio State faces Illinois on Sept. 26.

Ohio State linebackers coach James Laurinaitis will ring the Victory Bell before the Buckeyes’ Sept. 26 home game against Illinois.https://t.co/BsUWgKWsEg pic.twitter.com/jdDmgaicP9
— Eleven Warriors (@11W) June 15, 2026

I look forward to the College Football Hall of Famer sprinting down the tunnel and to Ohio State's sideline after ringing the bell to coach the Buckeyes' linebackers.

Huss, huss, huss.

Have a good Tuesday.

BOOOOOOM! Chat, is Ohio State basketball back?

On Monday, five-star guard LJ Smith announced he has reclassified to the 2026 class and will join the Buckeyes this season. As a result, Ohio State will have two five-star recruits — Smith and Anthony Thompson — in the same class for the first time since 2008, when in-state prospects B.J. Mullens and William Buford signed with Thad Matta’s program.

Ohio State will now have two five-star freshmen on its 2026-27 roster in Anthony Thompson and LJ Smith.https://t.co/825kxvVwnq pic.twitter.com/F6ICmX1GRp
— Eleven Warriors (@11W) June 15, 2026

Thompson is Ohio State’s fourth-highest-rated prospect in the modern recruiting era behind Greg Oden, Mullens and Jared Sullinger. Smith is the eighth-highest behind those Buckeyes plus Buford, Daequan Cook and D’Angelo Russell.

In other words, these dudes can ball.

Look out for the Basketbucks!

DECISIONS, DECISIONS. ESPN’s Matt Miller and Jordan Reid ranked the top five prospects at each position in the 2027 NFL Draft class, and three Buckeyes made the cut across their combined lists.

It starts, of course, with Jeremiah Smith, whom both evaluators project as the No. 1 wide receiver in the class. On the offensive line, Austin Siereveld appeared as Miller’s No. 5 offensive tackle and Reid’s No. 3 offensive guard, while Luke Montgomery landed at No. 3 among guards in Miller’s rankings.

Neither Miller nor Reid ranked Julian Sayin as a top-five quarterback in the draft class. Miller has Texas’ Arch Manning, Oregon’s Dante Moore, Oklahoma State’s Drew Mestemaker, Notre Dame’s CJ Carr and Miami’s Darian Mensah, while Reid has Manning, Moore, Mensah, Carr and Mestemaker. Reid also added that South Carolina’s LaNorris Sellers is a name outside the top five to keep an eye on.

It’s time for another offseason question — the kind of hypothetical that tends to take on a life of its own while we wait for college football to return.

There’s still an entire season ahead of Sayin. He could become a Heisman finalist for a second straight year, lead Ohio State Buckeyes to a second national championship in three seasons and firmly establish himself as a top quarterback in the 2027 NFL draft class. But what if his draft stock next spring looks a lot like it does today?

In that scenario, returning for another year of college football becomes a legitimate option. The bigger question is where that would happen. Five-star quarterback Tavien St. Clair has patiently waited his turn to become QB1 in Columbus. If Sayin came back for a fourth season, would St. Clair be willing to wait yet another year? More importantly, would Ohio State ask him to?

What say you: if Sayin’s draft stock is in question after 2026, would you want him back in the scarlet and gray, or would you turn the keys over to St. Clair?

BRIAN HARTLINE’S TOP FIVE. Last week, Brian Hartline appeared on Steve Smith’s 89 podcast, where he joined Smith and James Palmer to discuss his journey to becoming USF’s head coach, wide receiver non-negotiables, transparency in the NIL era, and his evaluation of Jaxon Smith-Njigba.

Perhaps most interesting for Eleven Warriors readers was Smith’s list of the top 10 wide receivers Hartline coached at Ohio State, which we’ll examine below (Smith only ranked former Buckeyes, so Jeremiah Smith is not included):

Marvin Harrison Jr.
Garrett Wilson
Chris Olave
Jaxon Smith-Njigba
Emeka Egbuka
Devin Smith
Michael Thomas
Parris Campbell
K.J. Hill
Terry McLaurin

Hartline told Steve Smith he didn’t coach Devin Smith or Michael Thomas, so Smith allowed him to swap those Buckeyes out of his list. Hartline then added Austin Mack and Jameson Williams instead, without revealing where they should land in Smith’s revised top 10.

After some discussion of the Ohio State records set by Smith’s top five — Emeka Egbuka’s career receptions mark, Jaxon Smith-Njigba’s single-season receiving yards record, and Chris Olave’s career touchdowns record — Hartline eventually ranked his top five at the position.

Hartline hesitated a few times while working through the list, at one point prompting Smith to hilariously tell him to “rip the Band-Aid off.” Hartline ultimately settled on the following order:

Marvin Harrison Jr.
Garrett Wilson
Emeka Egbuka
Chris Olave
Jaxon Smith-Njigba

“That’s pretty darn good. I can’t wait to redo the whole thing,” Hartline said. “Again, what’s my criteria? It’s based on production at Ohio State.”

It’s hard to argue with any list that features those receivers in the top five. That will likely remain true — at least until January, when Jeremiah Smith declares for the NFL draft. At that point, any all-time Ohio State wide receiver ranking should start with him at No. 1, leaving the rest of the top 10 to the eye of the beholder.

RUN IT UP, HERMAN! Here’s another list: the top 10 teams in average per game point differential over the past five seasons, with Ohio State at No. 1.

Largest average per game point differential over the last 5 seasons pic.twitter.com/tlUtoDPv3B
— Tom Fornelli (@TomFornelli) June 14, 2026

This honestly surprised me a bit, given Ryan Day’s reputation for rarely running up the score — especially in recent seasons. Maybe that 56-7 win over Michigan State in 2021 is doing some heavy lifting in the Buckeyes’ ranking here.

That performance is an all-timer in my book.

SONG OF THE DAY. "Blitzkrieg Bop" - Ramones.

CUT TO THE CHASE. Brendan Sorsby declares for the NFL supplemental draft amid legal battles over eligibility... Shane Beamer says Sam Dixon dismissed from South Carolina football after arrest... Meet Merlin the duck, a Mexico City streetside regular turned World Cup mascot... Michigan State Athletics, MSUFCU announce jersey patch sponsorship... See how World Cup countries, winners, prize money changed through the years.

Ohio State Five-Star Commit LJ Smith Reclassifying, Joining Buckeyes for 2026-27 Season

Josh Poloha — Monday, June 15, 2026 - 12:01

Ohio State's backcourt just got a whole lot deeper in 2026.

Five-star guard LJ Smith, who has been committed to the Buckeyes since Nov. 20, 2025, announced Monday that he is reclassifying to the 2026 class, immediately bolstering OSU's backcourt this season.

It’s official ✍️

LJ Smith has reclassified to the 2026 class and will join the Buckeyes this season

https://t.co/blBPGDDPZV @LJSmith23972065 | #GoBucks pic.twitter.com/Ss99weys94
— Ohio State Hoops (@OhioStateHoops) June 16, 2026

“I’m excited about adding LJ to this year’s team,” Ohio State head coach Diebler said in a press release distributed Tuesday. “He’s a mature player who fits our program and will handle this transition well. He has the ability to score from multiple levels on the floor and will be a great addition to our backcourt.”

Smith steadily climbed up the class rankings over the last year and a half after transferring to Oak Hill Academy, becoming the No. 5 combo guard and 25th-ranked player in the 2027 class. The 6-4, 180-pounder averaged 16.8 points, 4.3 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 1.1 steals per game while shooting 41% from the field and 39% from beyond the arc in 14 EYBL Scholastic games for Oak Hill last season. He led the team with 432 minutes played throughout the 14 games (30.8 minutes per game).

Before transferring to Oak Hill in 2025, Smith set the North Carolina single-season record for points as a sophomore, racking up 960 in 29 games for an average of 33.1 points per game. It's the fourth-highest scoring season in North Carolina high school history, regardless of grade level. He also averaged 9.3 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 2.6 steals and 1.0 blocks per game.

Smith averaged 13.8 points and 2.6 rebounds per game and shot 42% from 3-point range last summer while playing for Team Thad on the Nike EYBL Circuit. He was the youngest player on the team, as he played up on the U17 Circuit.

@NikeEYB @TeamThadNation pic.twitter.com/7l660q5DqM
— LJ Smith (@LJSmith23972065) April 27, 2026

Smith began playing on varsity as an eighth grader, when he averaged 17.1 points, 6.7 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 2.0 steals per game. That increased to 32.2 points, 7.6 rebounds, 0.4 assists and 2.4 steals per game as a freshman before he set the North Carolina high school basketball season ablaze his sophomore season.

Smith joins forwards Anthony Thompson and Alex Smith and center Vuk Lazarevic in Ohio State’s freshman class for the 2026-27 season. He becomes the Buckeyes’ eighth new player for 2026-27, joining former California guard Justin Pippen, former Kentucky forward Andrija Jelavić, former Duquesne guard Jimmie Williams and former Memphis guard Curtis Givens III from the portal.

On June 1, Diebler made note of Ohio State's depth as a team, which has now gained another guard in the backcourt.

“I think this is the deepest team we've had, and I don't know that it's even close,” Diebler said two weeks ago. “So I'm excited about that.”

With the addition of Smith to the 2026 class, it’s the first time since 2008 (B.J. Mullens and William Buford) that Ohio State has signed two five-star prospects in the same class. Thompson is OSU's fourth-highest-rated prospect in the modern recruiting era to sign with the Buckeyes behind only Greg Oden, Mullens and Jared Sullinger.

Two of Ohio State’s eight highest-rated recruits since 2000 — Thompson and Smith — will now be on the Buckeyes for the 2026-27 season.

Skull Session: Ryan Day Wants Ohio State to Be “Really Good” in the Fourth Quarter This Season, Luke Montgomery Continues to Dominate in the Weight Room This Summer

Jett Harrison, Top Quarterbacks and Nine New Offers Highlight Ohio State’s Final High School Football Camp of 2026

Top-Ranked 2028 Quarterback Christopher Vargas, Ohio State Wide Receiver Commit Jamier Brown Team Up to Win Ohio State’s 7-on-7 Tournament

Top-Ranked 2028 Quarterback Christopher Vargas, Ohio State Wide Receiver Commit Jamier Brown Team Up to Win Ohio State’s 7-on-7 Tournament

“It Would Be a Tough Thing to Walk Away From”: Brady Edmunds Still Weighing Whether to Stay Committed to Ohio State or Flip to UCLA

Skull Session: Ohio State Still Ranks No. 1 in ESPN’s Preseason Top 25; the Buckeyes Lead the Big Ten in SP+ with Nation’s No. 2 Offense and No. 1 Defense Entering 2026

Four-Star Cornerback Jaden Carey Commits to Ohio State

The Carey File

“It Would Be a Tough Thing to Walk Away From”: Brady Edmunds Still Weighing Whether to Stay Committed to Ohio State or Flip to UCLA

Skull Session: Ohio State is Helping the U.S. Men’s National Team Recover During the World Cup, Ryan Rudzinski Will Fly in an F-16 During the Columbus Air Show

Ohio State An Early Favorite for Top-Five Overall Prospect Tyzon Swann

Top-10 Overall Prospect Kellan Hall Enjoys Hands-On Coaching at Ohio State Camp from Larry Johnson, Who Compares Him to Chase Young

Additional notes from Tuesday’s camp

Skull Session: Austin Siereveld and Luke Montgomery Among ESPN’s Top NFL Draft Prospects in 2026, Brian Hartline Ranks the Top Five Wide Receivers He Coached at Ohio State

Ohio State Five-Star Commit LJ Smith Reclassifying, Joining Buckeyes for 2026-27 Season