With Indiana awaiting the Buckeyes, and Ohio State chasing a playoff spot, Urban Meyer joined former All-American Jim Lachey and the voice of the Buckeyes, Paul Keels, on the airwaves of 97.1 The Fan.
Urban wasted no time in going to bat for Ohio State; the Buckeyes lost its two best players in Noah Spence and Braxton Miller, and Jeff Heuerman was hobbled the first five games of the season. J.T. Barrett scoring a game-winning touchdown against Penn State was an unlikely scenario before the season, and yet here they are.
Urban joked he wanted one of those "cocktails" they were serving in Minneapolis due to the cold.
"Every day this week our punt returner has been out there in the snow catching punts. Every day."
Big Ten fans are lucky to watch all these future NFL running backs, Urban noted.
Joey Bosa is a finalist for the Lombardi Award, given to the nation's top linebacker or defensive lineman. Urban told Bosa's parents "to enjoy it." Says the nomination alone is "special stuff," and "it tells you the power of Ohio State."
Adolphus Washington "had his best week of practice," and Urban noted the correlate between that and playing well on Saturdays. Washington, "as a kid, is as good as it gets." Urban says he just needs some "nasty" to take that final step.
"The best teaching is video," Urban noted. "This is what it should look like... this is what you look like." Says if a player is good enough, the change should happen right right then.
"What a job that coach does up there in Minnesota." Noted Minnesota can't run the spread up in Minnesota, said he wanted to choke someone who mentioned style points.
Ohio State "will buy the plane" for any team that wants TO PLAY IN Minnesota in November.
Urban lauded Jerry Kill. "The guy is a winner," and Urban said you can't take that for granted because college football teams are some of the most complicated machines out there.
Sitting in studio can see call screen for Urban call in show, here is one that wont get through 'would you hire Will Muschamp to your staff'
— BEAU BISHOP (@BeauBishop) November 20, 2014
Indiana is a team that "lost a couple of quarterbacks." Usually, it throws the football "everywhere," but doesn't now because of injuries. Called running back Tevin Coleman "a top seven back" in America.
The Hoosiers, defensively, are "gigantic up front," but its second-level is only "okay."
Urban is not a fan of onside kicks because as long as the ball goes ten years the kicking team can "wipe out" the fielding teams. Said he turned it into the Big Ten "as a bad play." Goes out of his way to note it's 100% legal, just saying it shouldn't be. Ohio State knows Indiana's track record of trickery and they've "worked on it."
Urban didn't know J.T. before the season, but he's come to love him. "Usually I have to deal with knuckleheads... he's not one of them."
Caller said it's "an absolute honor" to talk to Urban. "I hope I have the pleasure to meet you in person one day." Asked if Urban "has ever thought about" putting Joey Bosa at TE like the Texans did with JJ Watt Sunday.
Urban conceded they've "thought about it," but Nick Vannett already "doesn't play enough." Players only have so many snaps.
I probably should've played him... He's unblockable at times [in practice]."– Urban Meyer on Sam Hubbard.
"Sometimes I think about pulling the trigger [and burning Hubbard's redshirt]." Lachey: "Do it."
"There's a little bit of a risk/reward," in how Ohio State angles its kicks on kick-offs.
Urban said, other than Ohio State, Minnesota has the best special teams unit in the Big Ten.
Caller: "I know you have Indiana on the mind, but Buckeye Nation has a few things on its mind..." tried to get Urban to answer a hypothetical about a 12-1 B1G champ OSU's resume vs. an 11-1 non-SEC title-winner or 11-1 none-title game-playing Big 12 champion.
"Well, the obvious answer to that question is that [Indiana] has a great returner," Urban replied before launching into a coachspeak riff about Indiana's toughness. Audible laughing heard in the background of the studio.
More pass attempts this week? "We'll have more than last week."
"I hope at the end of the day you look at the scorebOARd and it says 'balanced offense.'"– Urban Meyer
"Effort always overcomes mistakes." If players "don't go hard," they're done. Urban Meyer never wants his players to dread making mistakes. Lou Holtz was the one who taught him to "trust his team."
"If that was a turnover by lack of effort... that's not going to be a pleasant experience for you."
Eli Apple and Darron Lee are lauded as redshirt freshmen standouts. "Every program has a strength coach, but they don't have what we have."
Demetrius Knox and Brady Taylor (injured) will redshirt this year. "If you're not good enough to play we're not playing you." Players can use the opportunity to get better or slack off and disappear.
Full replay can be found at 97. The Fan.
