If you follow the Ohio State football program on any form of social media, you already know of the credo for the offseason that followed the first shutout of Urban Meyer's coaching career.
We've already told you about the "One Strong" mentality strength sensei Mickey Marotti plans to instill in each player during winter workouts. Before the ship can get righted on the field, guys must buy in off of it and push themselves to the limit.
“Our motto is ‘One Strong’ making sure everybody has personal accountability,” senior center and captain Billy Price said on Sunday. The mantra is echoed across the program's Twitter, Instagram and Snapchat accounts.
Price is in line to be one of 13 seniors on Ohio State's roster in 2017, more than double the total from last season. He plans to move to from right guard to center in place of the departed Pat Elflein and is one of three returning captains still on the roster. The others are quarterback J.T. Barrett and defensive end Tyquan Lewis.
Like Price, Barrett and Lewis will figure largely into Meyer's plan to avoid a disastrous finish to the upcoming season like what happened in Arizona on New Year's Eve. Eventual national champion Clemson drilled the Buckeyes 31-0 in the Fiesta Bowl as part of the College Football Playoff.
“For workouts, don’t be late to workouts. A minute late is not acceptable.”– Billy Price
“I think the role between Tyquan, J.T. and myself is really kind of established. Attention to detail,” Price said. “Really own that leadership and be the older guy in the room.”
The words "attention to detail" are likely music to the ears of Buckeye fans. In Ohio State's horrific offensive showing in the Fiesta Bowl, shortcomings like an inability to keep Barrett out of harm's way in the passing game, uncreative play calls and the lack of a game-changing wide receiver not named Curtis Samuel were exposed in the worst way.
Not all of those can be corrected by paying mind to the little things on training regimens, but such a poor showing on the grandest of stages forces everyone from Meyer to the captains and the others players back in the fold to reassess where the program stands.
Meyer is 61-6 in five seasons at the helm in Columbus, with one Big Ten and a national championship in his back pocket. So it is not all bad. Such a beatdown isn't the norm, however, so Meyer took action. He brought in Kevin Wilson to coordinate his offense and coach tight ends and added one of his former graduate assistants at Florida, Ryan Day, as the team's new quarterbacks coach.
“Change is not always bad. I think it was needed,” Barrett said on Sunday of the coaching changes. “When you think back in 2013, on our defensive side of the ball we were struggling and changes were made. Now, look at our defense.”
Ohio State's defense ranked near the top of college football in most statistical categories the last two seasons. The offense put up numbers but lagged way behind the production that brought the program its eighth national championship in 2014. So Meyer added new blood, knowing full well he had old blood with guys like Barrett, Price and Lewis back to lead a resurgence.
That starts in the weight room and on the recruiting trail. Ohio State is set to sign a ridiculously talented class on Feb. 1 and nine of the 19 players currently committed are already enrolled and taking part in winter workouts.
“For the new guys coming in, just shut up and go to work,” Lewis said on Sunday. “Just take the leadership, take the coaching. That’s all I can tell them. Don’t ever feel discouraged.”
That trio has experienced the highs of winning it all and the lows of getting their butts kicked in the postseason. A healthy chunk of the returning players dealt with that too but Price stressed this winter is about doing more. Being more dependable. Going the extra mile.
In other words, the little things.
“For workouts, don’t be late to workouts,” Price said. “A minute late is not acceptable.”
Will such adjustments result in a Big Ten Championship this fall? Maybe. That won't be decided for months. But with how the 2016 season ended with a resounding thud and questions surrounding a program that Meyer further cemented in the conversation as a national power upon his arrival, this is how things go.
“You're always trying to figure out new and better ways on how to continue to grow and get better,” Barrett said. “I think that's just when you're one of the top teams in the country, that's how you operate.”
With that idea in place and winter workouts staring them in the face, look no further than Ohio State's three returning captains to make sure the hunt to reach the standard of accountability that is needed is achieved. Especially when it comes to the young players.
“I’m returning for my fifth year and I’ve played for three years now. I kind of have to bank on that leadership,” Price said.
“Don’t say nothing, don’t worry about talking back or anything,” Lewis added. “Just follow.”
