As Ohio State gears up for the national championship, Urban Meyer addressed a room full of reporters Tuesday afternoon before embarking to AT&T Stadium in Dallas. Here's what he had to say:
- Meyer learned of the College Football Playoff's decision to significantly help cover travel costs during his press conference. The organization announced it will provide a stipend of $1,250 per parent/guardian. He offered a fist pump and said, "I'm really fired up, that made my day."
- Before that, Meyer, again, lamented the College Football Playoff’s financial burdens on players’ families traveling to Dallas after just making a weeklong trip to New Orleans. He encouraged the media to “stir it up” to raise awareness about the issue.
- While each scholarship player’s family gets an $800 stipend from the university, Meyer said, “my family couldn’t go for $800.”
- Meyer said senior tight end Jeff Heuerman and sophomore H-back Dontre Wilson are "probable" to play against Oregon next Monday.
- With co-offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Tom Herman leaving to take over Houston, Meyer said offensive line coach Ed Warinner will be "instrumental" in the team's offense going forward.
- For so much that’s been made about Meyer’s personal and professional development from Florida to Ohio State, Meyer said he hasn’t changed his style of coaching. “I don’t mean to be disrespectful, but I’ve coached the same way … I don’t think you can do it any other way, the coaching it’s the way we don our business, I don’t think that’ll ever change.”
- Meyer said linebacker Darron Lee came to Ohio State’s summer camps for high schoolers at least five or six times. Meyer said he rejected Lee as a potential Buckeye at least four times. “Shows you how good of an evaluator I am.”
- Meyer raved about Oregon quarterback and Heisman Trophy winner Marcus Mariota: “I’m glad he got (the Heisman). For a lot of reasons, I’m glad he got it ... He plays his best when it’s hard."
- Meyer said he’s made “suggestions” to Ohio State’s defensive regarding its game plan for Oregon “because we run similar offenses, similar plays.”
- Meyer is credited with ushering in an uptempo era at Ohio State. “Everybody says it’s not (the future). It is.”
- Meyer said a drawback of playing fast and not huddling up is how it limits the quarterback’s leadership capacity. “You have an incredible leader at quarterback, he just takes a snap on offense now.”
- Meyer said he’ll likely make senior wide receiver Evan Spencer a captain. “He’s the MVP of our team.” Meyer has gushed over Spencer for the last two season, pined over getting him more touches on offense.
- Meyer said he will make junior linebacker Joshua Perry a captain next season.
- Meyer on Urbana, Ohio, dropping the A in its name: "You're kidding. Wow. That's very nice." He seemed equally grateful, equally weirded out.
