With training camp officially in the rearview mirror, Ohio State opened its first game week of the season Monday.
Urban Meyer met with reporters in the team room at the Woody Hayes Athletic Center to preview his team's first game, provide injury updates and discuss Torrance Gibson's suspension for fall semester.
The Buckeyes host Bowling Green at noon Saturday.
Notes:
- Meyer began his press conference speaking about the seven captains voted last week to lead Ohio State's football team: "Obviously I like more than less ... but that doesn't mean guys like (Craig) Fada aren't captains. We'll need them for leadership."
- Meyer on Bowling Green: "I love that school ... Lot of great respect for them. Love my time there. A lot of great people there." Meyer coached the Falcons in 2001-02, his first head coaching gig.
- Meyer recalled reading a preseason magazine in his first season there and the Falcons being ranked 119: "I said, 'you've gotta be blanking me.' I didn't even realize there were 119 teams in college football."
- On Torrance Gibson: "It was not an athletic department, not a football team (decision). I disagree with it."
- Meyer does not know what a coach can do if he disagrees with a decision to suspend a player that wasn't his or the athletic department's: "It's not unique. We have dealt with it."
- Meyer told a story about entering the first workout at Bowling Green when players were wearing Budweiser T-shirts and the team/program had to raise funds. The team eventually got blue and gray shoes after raising money.
- Asked about Tim Tebow's baseball skills, Meyer said he is "an incredible baseball player." Spoke about seeing Tebow's leadership capabilities on the baseball diamond too: "One of the most unique players I've ever seen."
- Meyer said getting Vonn Bell and Raekwon McMillan to commit to Ohio State from the south was huge for his program: "Without a doubt."
- Bowling Green head coach Mike Jinks is in his first season with the Falcons. Meyer said he and his staff went back to what Jinks did as an assistant at Texas Tech a lot this week to get an idea of what to prepare for.
- Meyer said he wants his offense to be 50-50 rushing and passing: "250 (yards)-250 is perfect. We've been close a few times recently but got away from it last year."
- Meyer said 12 J.T. Barrett rushes is a good number for him each game. He likes seven or eight called rushes for the quarterbacks.
- Meyer called Tyler Durbin Ohio State's starting kicker this week as Sean Nuernberger deals with an injury.
- "Our first unit is pretty close to being game ready."
- Meyer said his biggest concern is how his players react to playing in front of a huge crowd and on a hot day: "Not the Pat Elfleins and J.T. Barretts but the Malik Hookers and Austin Mack."
- Meyer said Michael Jordan and Isaiah Prince continue to lead to start on the offensive line.
- Mike Weber and Curtis Samuel are the guys at running back, Meyer said.
- Jalyn Holmes is very close to being a co-starter with Sam Hubbard at defensive end.
- Joe Burrow is Ohio State's No. 2 quarterback.
- "This is a talented team. We have good guys. This has been a good camp. Good people to work with."
- Meyer again said he has the same feeling he did in 2014 about his team. Ohio State won the national championship that season.
- Meyer believes the second string offensive and defensive lines "will continue to grow this season" in order to make him feel comfortable with it: "Big week for them this week."
