With the 2016 season set to kick off with Bowling Green on tap, Urban Meyer took to 97.1 The Fan's airwaves to discuss all things Buckeye football with Paul Keels and Jim Lachey.
On his time at Bowling Green:
- Lou Holtz and Earle Bruce said Meyer needed to look at the job, so he did.
- He didn't think he'd get the job, but Holtz and Bruce pulled some strings and got him an interview.
- Meyer met Bowling Green sachems in a restaurant in Fort Wayne.
- Didn't think he'd get the job, but did. When he wasn't going to take it, Bruce cussed him out. He took the job.
- Shouted out Trotters Tavern in Bowling Green.
- Talked about the struggle of raising attendance at Bowling Green, where people didn't know the school colors or fight song.
- The weight room sat on a handball court.
- Had to talk to Adidas to get workout clothes. Adidas sent blue and white shoes.
- "There were no five-stars... there was no entitlement."
- “Make the crucible of learning so hard it melts off the impurities.'
On preparing for against a team with a first-time head coach and coordinators:
- Bowling Green runs a lot of "run-pass options." It's a run play, with the option to throw if the cornerbacks collapse on the run.
- Meyer had to change his offense his first year at Ohio State because he didn't have the personnel. Bowling Green is "built to do this."
- "We will run our base offense."
- "First two series of the game will be critical ... the guys up top (Tim Beck and Ed Warinner) will have to be great."
- "There's not one defense J.T. Barrett hasn't seen."
- "We expect [to see] a 4-3 down defense," but noted they expect some 3-4 looks as well as the Bear defense.
On playmakers surrounding J.T. Barrett:
- "Buckeye Nation will be very pleased with our running back situation."
- "Parris Campbell will start," as will Noah Brown.
- "Curtis Samuel has been phenomenal... we're going to use him a lot."
- Terry McLaurin, James Clark, Johnnie Dixon, Austin Mack and K.J. Hill will play.
- Hopes for 30-play rotations to wear defenses out. Noted the difference between the WR depth when he first arrived in Columbus.
On Barrett:
- "He picked up where he left off, as he should. ... It's his show."
Scotty in Columbus: How did Mike Weber receive the news about starting? Who do you compare him to?
- "We started that tradition a few years back. Buckeye families get a call when their son starts."
- Director of Personnel Mark Pantoni's idea to put it on social media.
- "He reminds me a little of Carlos Hyde... he's got the positive Carlos Hyde mannerisms."
- Described his blocking as "solid."
97.1 standby caller Tennessee Jeff got cutoff midway through a rambling statement about how he'd try to stop reacting like "a little seventh grade girl" whenever he sees Meyer in public. He never got a question off.
On opening the offense:
- Meyer wants to do it, but if they're bad in practice, he's not going to run it in a game.
- Noted that's what hampered offensive balance last year.
- "I feel better than I have in the last 12 months about our receiving corps... but they're untested."
- "When we get to Oklahoma we'll try to find a way to win that game."
Ron in Columbus: Is there a tendency to take MAC teams lightly?
- "Absolutely. And the thing I tell them is there are a lot of players there that could start over you."
- "They don't have the quantity we have... but Omar Jacobs could start here tomorrow. They had two receivers last year that could have started here. ... They just don't have the depth, that's the difference."
- "The smart player will know. The one with the third uncle that lies to him... that's the one you have to watch."
On walk-on turned captain Joe Burger:
- "So much of what we do starts in the weight room, and he's a leader in the weight room."
- "He could do whatever he wants to do [after football]. I'm trying to get him into coaching."
- "Those kind of guys, the impact they have on other guys on our team is critical."
On defensive line:
- "We'll have a rotation this year. We have had that in years past because I didn't trust the backups."
- Tracy Sprinkle and Michael Hill will start, but DaVon Hamilton and Dre'mont Jones will play "equal snaps."
- Jonathon Cooper "isn't quite ready yet," but he will be. "He'll be a fine player."
On cornerbacks:
- "We have four guys. I don't think we've ever had four guys."
- Gareon Conley and Marshon Lattimore will start.
- "Denzel Ward ... is our fastest guy."
- Damon Arnette is the fourth guy, "but he'll play. He's the starting nickel."
On walk-on kicker Tyler Durbin:
- "I don't know anything about him," Meyer joked.
- Durbin hit punts in practice as a backup. His foot hit the ball so loud it caught Meyer's attention.
- "He's a guy I'm going to see how he reacts [to starting]."
On special teams gunners:
- "Our objective is no punt return yards. One year we had under 40 all year. Last year we were No. 1 in the country."
- Gareon Conley, Denzel Ward, Parris Campbell, James Clark and Terry McLaurin will be the gunners.
- Conley is "close" to being as good as former receiving speedster Devin Smith.
