Not only did Ohio State hold its final practice of the month of August on Wednesday but the Buckeyes also stepped one day closer to their season opener.
Urban Meyer's fifth Ohio State team plays Bowling Green at noon Saturday at Ohio Stadium to kick off its 2016 football season.
Meyer met with reporters briefly in the team room at the Woody Hayes Athletic Center and provided updates on injuries, discussed the depth chart and more.
NOTES:
- Meyer named Mike Weber starting running back.
- Cam Burrows hurt his foot again so he doesn't think the safety will play again this season: "He's going to work with the strength team right now." A spokesman said he will be a weight room assistant.
- The omission of K.J. Hill on the depth chart is "a mistake" Meyer said. Hill is the third H-back behind Dontre Wilson and Curtis Samuel.
- Meyer expects Bowling Green to run the ball plenty on Saturday but to throw more than it hands the ball off: "They're going to test us with the screens."
- On Michael Jordan, Meyer called the offensive lineman "extremely talented" and "exceptional." He believes Jordan is going to have a "great" career at Ohio State.
- Does Ohio State have enough players that are "code green"? Meyer: "Not quite. But pretty close."
- Meyer said Jordan has done very well with how much Ohio State has thrown at him from a defensive standpoint: "He's handled it."
- Meyer said "you would hope" you can get that kid in the game when asked about backup quarterback Joe Burrow: "No one behind J.T. has taken a snap at Ohio State."
- Meyer said Jalyn Holmes is in the rotation at defensive end, but Sam Hubbard will start opposite of Tyquan Lewis.
- Meyer said over the last three weeks of practice Ohio State has focused on balance both running and throwing the ball. He noted how last year's quarterback situation caused issues with the continuity of the offense and it's production in 2015.
- Meyer feels "pretty good" with Ohio State's offense right now.
- Larry Johnson wants to rotate anywhere from 8-10 guys on the defensive line and Meyer thinks Ohio State can do that: "We have depth and good depth there for the first time in a while."
- Meyer had challenges in the past installing a new offense at a new job: "You don't have two years. So you better adapt. That's the job of the offensive coordinator and the coaching staff to play to your personnel."
- "We're dealing with 18-21-year-olds. It's every day. It's on them ever day."
- Jordan Fuller practiced very hard to earn a spot on the two-deep, but also moved up because of Cam Burrows' injury.
- Meyer joked about it being "Woody time," because he ran about a half hour early for his Wednesday practice.
- On J.T. Barrett: "He's on top of his game. He's a very good player, a very good leader. He's driving the car. He's really done a nice job. I'm proud of him."
