Urban Meyer is not even a week removed from the end of spring practice, but he and his staff are knee deep in player evaluations ahead of summer workouts.
Ohio State's head coach met with reporters for roughly 15 minutes Wednesday afternoon on the Woody Hayes Athletic Center turf.
NOTES:
- Meyer said he hasn't had a chance to deeply evaluate the tape of the spring game because he went to a fundraiser in the Florida with Jack Nicklaus. He plans to break it down later this week.
- Meyer called this summer "the most important offseason" for Ohio State in his tenure.
- Meyer said Damon Arnette "has got to play for us" and was pleased to see him step up Saturday. He was also pleased with Malik Hooker, Parris Campbell and Terry McLaurin: "They did really well."
- Player evaluations are this week. Meyer said each guys grades himself on a 1-5 scale, then their position coaches do the same thing. If the scores add up to a low number, that player is classified as a "low bowl game" or "no bowl game" player. Then there is a mid-level bowl game, then National Championship-level player. A guy that is at the top handles themselves academically, socially and physically.
- Meyer said honesty is the top priority in those meetings: "The worst thing you can do is having very mixed messages to them."
- Ohio State has a mandatory parent meeting Saturday at 9:30 a.m. to discuss developments of each player and what they can do to improve: "We try to be as transparent as possible. Some people don't like that, some people have a hard time dealing with it ... but that's not our concern if you like it or not."
- Meyer said there was "no chance" Michael Thomas would have became the receiver he is without Thomas' father and uncle, former NFL wide receiver Keyshawn Johnson.
- Meyer said there are only a few players that are in the 90-100 rating range on the team. He mentioned Malik Hooker as someone who is headed in that direction. Others who made it there this spring: Billy Price, Pat Elflein, Chris Worley, Jamarco Jones.
- Meyer named Jamarco Jones Ohio State's starting left tackle. His mother will be receiving a phone call later Wednesday night to hear the news, as the team did first this morning.
- Freshman Michael Jordan continues to run with the first team: "The line is not set, but Michael Jordan will play for us this year," Meyer said.
- Meyer said he watched Mike Weber "very closely" Saturday at the spring game to see how he would play in front of a big crowd.
- Meyer said the challenge this spring was to see if his team could be good enough to play at a high level like it did the last two years. He felt very positive with the returns by the end of spring practice.
- Meyer said he is "close" to being able to put together a depth chart, but he doesn't plan on doing that for a while.
- Meyer laid out what Ohio State and he look for when they recruit quarterbacks: Competitive spirit, toughness, ability to lead, intelligence and finally ability to extend the play. Meyer said Joe Burrow's competitive spirit set him apart when they were recruiting him.
- Meyer said he's fielded a lot of questions from NFL personnel about how the Buckeyes in the draft train and practice on their own because there are months the coaches cannot work with them.
- Meyer joked the draft has "no value" for Ohio State, "because they're all gone." Then he retracted and said he and his staff will absolutely use the talent surplus it is sending to the league it in recruiting.
- Ohio State will have someone there "tracking" the guys at the draft next week for recruiting purposes: "A lot of recruiting stuff. We're pretty creative around here, and I don't even know what Mark (Pantoni) is going to do."
- Meyer would not specify one guys in particular who might "surprise" with where he goes in the draft, but then used it as an opportunity to clarify his statements about Cardale Jones from over the weekend: "I love Cardale. Cardale is great. Cardale is a very talented guy and my message was when someone asked me about the school part is he struggled in school a little bit. He's very intelligent. That was my point. The fact that college football and pro football, the big difference is college football you better budget your time and some guys just aren't very good at that. Some guys, I've had plenty of them and they turn out to be fine NFL football players. That was the intent. There's no malicious thoughts toward Cardale. There's no ill will intent. We love Cardale and I think Cardale will make it in the NFL."
- Meyer said he thinks a rule change is "in the process" to allow MAC schools and other non-Power 5 coaches to come to their summer camps: "I hope that happens."
- Meyer said Isaiah Prince is "very close" to locking down the starting right tackle position.
- Does Meyer already have Dwayne Haskins Jr. in his thoughts at quarterback? "Yes." Meyer called his tape and skill set "really good."
- Meyer called the potential of the defensive line "much improved." He mentioned Dre'Mont Jones and Jashon Cornell as two guys who really stood out this spring.
- Donovan Munger's career is over because of a recurring blood clot issue, Meyer said.
- Malik Hooker had a great spring, but he is missing that "on-field arrogance" of a Vonn Bell or Tyvis Powell, Meyer said. "That's not a bad thing."
- Meyer said the staff will be meeting with their respective units once a week until school is out for the first time ever. They need to continue leadership and the Power of the Unit culture with such a young team.
- "Now we get into the deep leadership training, because we just don't have time during spring ball," Meyer said.
