Shortly before his appearance on the Big Ten coaches teleconference Tuesday, Ohio State head coach Urban Meyer released a statement saying senior running back Rod Smith was no longer with Ohio State's football team, confirming the report from Eleven Warriors on Monday evening.
During his time on the teleconference, Meyer addressed the Smith situation.
“He’s had issues really since he’s been at Ohio State," he said. "We’re gonna do the best we can. He’s gonna graduate. I think he’s on schedule in summer so we’re gonna do the best we can to assist. It is disappointing, but we wish him well.”
Meyer has dismissed players in the past, but let them return later once everything is sorted out. Will that be the case with Smith?
“No. He’s got a chance to graduate from Ohio State and our focus now is on that," Meyer said, adding Smith will stay on scholarship.
The departure of Smith obviously leaves some depth questions in Ohio State's backfield. Meyer addressed that, as well.
“He didn’t play much, but he was there and was really better this year — we’ve just gotta stay healthy," Meyer said. "We had Curtis Samuel hurt and then Bri’onte Dunn go down so it’s all a matter of health. ... Another opportunity for another player.”
Health is also a question surrounding quarterback J.T. Barrett, who suffered a sprained MCL during the second quarter of Ohio State's win over Penn State. Meyer said Barrett will be limited in practice today, but should be full-go for Wednesday's practice.
“He’s getting treatment and he’s gonna play," Meyer said. "He’ll be somewhat limited today and full-go tomorrow on Wednesday and I’m anxious to see him go.”
Meyer then raved about Barrett's gutty performance Saturday, leading the Buckeyes to a double-overtime win over the Nittany Lions in front of an incredible environment.
“I actually wrote his parents a note today and sent them a couple DVDs of their son. I think those ought to go in a shoebox somewhere. Really impressive," Meyer said. "The more you’re around him and the more you guys get to spend time with him, he’s just a really serious guy that handles his business on and off the field.
"To see what he did in that game in overtime in that environment, I stood up in front of the team and said, ‘To say that I really knew you a year and a half ago, I didn’t. Now I do and on behalf of our coaching staff, the admiration is there and congratulations.’ The whole team clapped for him because that was a tough performance.”
Meyer also said Barrett's growth was the thing he's been most impressed with so far this season. He's also encouraged by the defense's improvement, but his biggest concern still lies with the offensive line.
"We set a standard here over the last two years here at Ohio State and we're not there yet," Meyer said.
Finally, Meyer was asked if he will be watching tonight's unveiling of the first-ever College Football Playoff rankings.
“I’m sure I’ll look at them tomorrow," Meyer said. "We’re practicing and it’s a heavy gameplan night so I won’t watch them, but I am aware that it’s gonna happen tonight.”
Notes:
Ohio State will look to match the record for most-ever consecutive Big Ten regular-season wins when it hosts Illinois on Saturday. The Buckeyes have won 19 straight regular-season Big Ten contests.
Prior to Ohio State's showdown at No. 8 Michigan State next weekend, the Spartans have a bye Saturday.
Michigan State and the Buckeyes are the only teams undefeated in league play. Nebraska and Minnesota are tied for the lead atop the Big Ten West. Those two teams won't square off until Nov. 22.
In addition to Meyer, 12 other Big Ten head coaches — Minnesota's Jerry Kill was unavailable, so offensive coordinator Matt Limegrover filled in —spoke Tuesday on their weekly teleconference. Here are some highlights of what each had to say:
Pat Fitzgerald (Northwestern):
- On Northwestern's injury bug and whether players will return: "We hope so. It's just Tuesday, but we hope we'll get some guys back."
- "If the last few games between the two of us are any indication, we should have a whale of a game on Saturday."
- On Penn State linebacker Mike Hull not being included as a semifinalist for the Butkus Award: "I'll definitely be writing him in, I don't know if I'm allowed to say that, but he's a heck of a football player."
- Fitzgerald ends his time by saying, "To everybody, Happy Halloween. Go 'Cats."
Brady Hoke (Michigan):
- "Playing Indiana will obviously give you problems. They're very explosive on offense."
- On Indiana's Tevin Coleman, the nation's leading rusher: "The things I think that make him special is in and out of cuts, his explosiveness, his acceleration."
- Hoke was asked again about the stake in the ground against Michigan State: "We've covered this ground, I appreciate the question, but that's in the past. ... It was nothing to do with Michigan State."
Gary Andersen (Wisconsin):
- Andersen said his team played its best game against Maryland last week but, "You can't look in the past you have to look forward."
- On how Andersen keeps star running back Melvin Gordon motivated: "Melvin motivates himself and he motivates this football team."
- Andersen on how quarterback Joel Stave has sort of taken back the reigns: "I think Joel has taken the majority of the snaps. He walks out there, he runs the offense well. He's gone through a lot and I'm very proud of him."
Bo Pelini (Nebraska):
- Pelini called Purdue a "much-improved team from what we saw a year ago."
- On the revealing of tonight's college football rankings: "I'm sure I'll hear about it, but I've got other things on my mind other than what that vote is today."
- Pelini said he won't talk to his team about the rankings "other than to ignore them."
- Does running back Ameer Abdullah want to run for 2,000 yards or be first-team all-Big Ten? "He's not a real big stat guy," Pelini said. "I'm not sure how aware he is of it, actually."
Mark Dantonio (Michigan State):
- Will Dantonio pay attention to tonight's college football rankings? "I think our focus has gotta be on our next football game so I'll spend most of my focus on that."
- Yeah, that one will get my attention."
- Dantonio on his favorite saying from former Ohio State coach Jim Tressel: "So how far really have we come?"
- Dantonio said one of the biggest things he learned from Tressel was how he treated and interacted with people.
- How will the Big Ten be perceived in the national picture come season's end? "The eventual champion of this conference will have a great opportunity."
Kirk Ferentz (Iowa):
- On the race for the Big Ten West title: "I think if you look at it, probably nobody is out of it. ... The challenge is to be in that discussion, but you have to play well to get there."
Matt Limegrover (Minnesota):
- On star running back David Cobb: "I think in the style of play that we have and what we try and we do and that position you're gonna need guys who can give you quality carries. ... With David, it gets tough during the course of a ballgame to say, 'Hey, we're gonna take him out and make him stand on the sideline.'"
- Which players from Illinois stood out to Limegrover? "Both their linebackers, I thought those guys really did a nice job of slowing and pursuing to the football."
Kyle Flood (Rutgers):
- On preparing to stop Melvin Gordon and Wisconsin's offense: "They're a football team that averages over seven yards per carry. ... Probably the most challenging thing is they've got a lot of talented players."
- Flood said injured quarterback Gary Nova was out throwing the football today. "I'm pleased with the progress he's made."
Tim Beckman (Illinois):
- "It was a great victory to see those guys slapping your son five and giving your wife a hug. ... It was great to see our players win and experience that."
- On what Beckman has learned from former Ohio State coach Jim Tressel: "We don't have enough time I don't believe. Jim Tressel has meant the world to me."
- Beckman also coached with Urban Meyer: "I consider Urban a friend. ... There's a lot of things that we do in this program that have an Urban flavor."
Randy Edsall (Maryland):
- On the "rivalry" between Penn State and Maryland, Edsall said "Penn State has had the upper hand." Well, the all-time series is in Penn State 35, Maryland 1 with one tie, so yeah, you could say that. Maryland hasn't beaten Penn State since 1961.
- "I think Penn State, their defense, they do a great job and execute very well."
Darrell Hazell (Purdue):
- On Hazell's relationship with former Ohio State coach Jim Tressel: "He had a major influence on me. ... He's a down-to-earth, treats everybody with respect, gets the most out of everybody and sees everybody with a big vision."
James Franklin (Penn State):
- "Our defense is playing an extremely high level. Mike Hull is playing as well as any linebacker in the country, college or NFL."
- Franklin didn't want to comment on Vonn Bell's interception Saturday that shouldn't have actually counted.
- Franklin said he wasn't aware the first College Football Playoff rankings were to going to be released tonight. Also said he will not watch them.
Kevin Wilson (Indiana):
- Wilson on Michigan's defense: "They're really good. They can pick their spots to pressure in the run game and pressure on third down."
- On the keys for Indiana's defense improving: "Consistency of effort and consistency of attitude."
