With a rivalry game against Michigan only days away, Ohio State has the potential to get back one of its biggest defensive weapons.
Noah Spence has an appeal hearing scheduled with the Big Ten scheduled for sometime today, but head coach Urban Meyer said on the league's weekly coaches teleconference Tuesday he had no new information regarding Spence's status.
“I’m not involved. I know a little bit about it and that’s it," Meyer said. "I do know there’s something going on today, I’m not sure of the exact time. We’ll cross that bridge — Gene Smith and the administration is handling all that and they alert me and let me know.”
Meyer was also asked about fourth-year juniors Antonio Underwood and Chris Carter, who were listed as Senior Day participants despite having one year of eligibility left. Meyer confirmed they won't be with the team next season.
“This will be their final year," Meyer said. "Most of the time it’s not (my decision), it’s the player. These were player decisions that they’re gonna graduate and move on with their life and go about their business.”
With the rivalry game coming up against the Wolverines, Meyer has said everything around the Woody Hayes Athletic Center is different during this week. But one thing that isn't different is the way the team practices.
“Practice is pretty much the same," Meyer said. "I think the biggest thing that’s different is just education of the rivalry, things around the facility to keep their eye on the target.”
Meyer does have concerns entering Saturday's game, however. The run defense and number of turnovers remain high on Meyer's priority list.
“Very concerned," Meyer said of the run defense. "We’ve faced some good teams and they’ve had some big hits that have been the problem. Very, very concerned about that and we’re gonna work real hard to correct hit.”
On the turnovers: "You hold the coaches accountable for their positions. They have been addressed and that’s very alarming. This has been the most turnovers I think since I’ve been head coach that we’ve had so it’s very alarming.”
Notes:
The winner of Saturday's game between Wisconsin and Minnesota will face Ohio State next weekend in the Big Ten championship game in Indianapolis.
Nine Big Ten teams have secured bowl eligibility already this season. The winner of Saturday's game between Northwestern and Illinois will also earn it, while Michigan has a chance to become bowl eligible if it upsets Ohio State.
In addition to Meyer, the Big Ten's other 13 coaches met Tuesday on their weekly teleconference. Here some highlights of what each had to say:
Pat Fitzgerald (Northwestern):
- Fitzgerald makes a rare opening statement: "Happy Thanksgiving to everyone. Special week here in Evanston. We've got 22 seniors here who mean everything."
- On the potential of getting another month of practice for younger players if Northwestern becomes bowl eligible: "Most of them are already playing, but it would be huge to get them some more reps.
Brady Hoke (Michigan):
- "Obviously this is an exciting week all-around here preparing for a great football rivalry and probably the best rivalry in sports."
- Hoke on his team maintaining composure during a game: "You've got to have some poise and composure, but you want that intensity so it's a fine line."
- Hoke on Ohio State: "I think both sides of the football, you have to really look at them from an offensive base and how J.T. Barrett has improved. I think defensively, it starts with their front. You notice Joey Bosa and Bennett."
- Hoke was asked about the additions of Maryland and Rutgers to the Big Ten: "For us, it hasn't been very good." UM lost to both teams this year.
- On the noon kickoff for The Game: "I'm such a traditionalist especially for this football game. I think the last Saturday in November and the noon start is a great start."
Gary Andersen (Wisconsin):
- Andersen on Minnesota: "They've been playing great football all year long. Very, very talented."
- Andersen on managing getting overhyped for this game: "We talk about that all year long. We absolutely address it. We do nothing different. ... It's good to play with emotion but too much is not good."
- Andersen called Minnesota's defense "probably the fastest" they've seen this year. J.T. Barrett probably disagrees.
Bo Pelini (Nebraska):
- Pelini said wide receiver Kenny Bell is questionable to play Friday against Iowa.
- Pelini on Iowa's offense: "I think their offense has really good balance. I think they do a lot of good things."
- On the Big Ten's running backs: "You'll look back one day and find it hard to believe all these guys were part of this league at the same time."
Mark Dantonio (Michigan State):
- "The opportunity to win 10 games in a season is unique, but we look forward to that opportunity."
- Dantonio was asked if he thinks Jim Tressel would ever return to coaching and if he'd be successful: "I think he would still have a high level of success, but I would never ever speak on that. ... I think he's very comfortable as the president of Youngstown State right now."
- On Tony Lippett playing on both sides of the ball: "You're always looking for ways to make your football team better and for a solution to a potential problem."
Kirk Ferentz (Iowa):
- "We had a tough game Saturday against a very good team. It was an excellent football game."
- Is Nebraska a rivalry game for Iowa? "It feels like a big game, but as far as rivalry goes we really haven't played that often historically."
Jerry Kill (Minnesota):
- "We were fortunate and got a big win against Nebraska and were fortunate to be put in a position Minnesota hasn't been put in in a long time."
- Kill on rivalry games: "There's a tremendous amount of history — 100 years of history in some of the games we play in. I think that's what college football is all about."
- Did Kill expect to be in the mix for a conference title this soon? "When I took the job I felt like it was a seven-year project."
- Kill said running back David Cobb is "very questionable" for the game against Wisconsin.
Kyle Flood (Rutgers):
- Flood on his first year in the Big Ten: "It's just been a unique season in the fact that we're playing 12 opponents and every one of them is different than the year before."
Tim Beckman (Illinois):
- Beckman said it was the first time since 2007 an Illinois senior class won at home on Senior Day. "I want to congratulate our seniors for walking off our field in their final home game victorious."
Randy Edsall (Maryland):
- Edsall said quarterback C.J. Brown played his best game of the year last weekend against Michigan.
- Does Edsall anticipate a rivalry growing with Rutgers? "Anytime you have schools that close in proximity, you can develop those things."
Darrell Hazell (Purdue):
- "We're looking forward to going down to Bloomington on Saturday and playing an in-state rivalry. You throw out all the records in this one and play as hard as you can."
James Franklin (Penn State):
- On Penn State's Senior Day: "The game of football's a little bit different because it's not like you can play pick-up games like you can in basketball for the rest of your life."
- Franklin on Michigan State: "They're very similar in a lot of ways to Alabama. There's a model there that you can see."
Kevin Wilson (Indiana):
- Wilson on Purdue: "Like us, they've kind of been on the short end of some sticks, but they've been very, very competitive. We're going to have to play very well to get a win this week and close our season with a win."
