CHICAGO — Mere hours after Ohio State released a statement suspending four key players for the season opener against Virginia Tech Sept. 7 — Joey Bosa, Dontre Wilson, Corey Smith and Jalin Marshall — Urban Meyer took the podium in front of the Big Ten media at the Hyatt Regency McCormick Place Thursday.
Fall camp opens in less than two weeks, but the buzz surrounding a team losing four potential starters for a game against the team that beat it in 2014 increased yet again.
- Meyer said he's known about the suspensions "for a little while," but is focused on pushing forward.
- Meyer added that "everyone deals with stuff." He worries about little issues like that creeping in near the beginning of the camp, but he and his staff are watching it closely.
- On Braxton Miller switching positions, Meyer said the news of his move was somewhat premature, but "I think Braxton will play receiver." Said it was a Plan B, and has been working at it for about a month, but just on footwork and route running.
- "Day One I will personally work with him myself to see if we can get him ready." -Meyer on Miller. Meyer got his start in coaching as a wide receivers coach.
- Meyer said three indicators on how your team is doing are academically, socially and in the weight room. He said overall it's been good, but there are good days and bad days, just like anything else.
- Meyer said Miller is one of the best athletes he's ever coached: "You say it's winning and losing time, and he's not going to lose." Said his expectation for Miller is for him to be "an impact player."
- Knowing how Miller works into Ohio State's offense won't be known until camp gets going, Meyer said.
- Meyer said he's learned how to delegate and "shut things off" when it's time to get away from work: "It's been great."
- Meyer would not elaborate on the reasoning for the suspensions: "Internal is internal, external is external. Internally is that it was a violation of team rules."
- Staying healthy and getting younger players on offense ready in camp will help push through the holes of Smith, Marshall and Wilson, Meyer said.
- Meyer said he likes the culture of the team right now, but he's going to play the guy that helps Ohio State win games at quarterback, period. He said they're keeping score of "everything." He said he is worried — because he worries about everything — that having two quarterbacks could divide a locker room.
- Further on Miller playing H-back, Meyer said he can use him in the same way he did as Percy Harvin, but the ex-quarterback has "a long way to go" before he can produce.
