With the off week firmly in the rearview mirror and the calendar nearing the end of September, Urban Meyer's Ohio State Buckeyes are set to prepare for their Big Ten opener this week.
Meyer met with reporters for the first time in more than a week to provide updates on his team and discuss the opportunity to face off against his former co-defensive coordinator and safeties coach Chris Ash. Ohio State hosts Rutgers at noon on Saturday.
NOTES:
- Following the 45-24 victory at Oklahoma Sept. 17, Ohio State named nine defensive players champions: Sam Hubbard, Mike Hill, Tyquan Lewis, Raekwon McMillan, Jerome Baker, Chris Worley, Malik Hooker, Marshon Lattimore and Denzel Ward.
- On the other side of the ball, seven earned the distinction: Noah Brown, J.T. Barrett, Curtis Samuel, Pat Elflein, Billy Price, Jamarco Jones and Mike Weber.
- Ohio State is "real anxious" for homecoming after what Meyer called "a productive" bye week.
- The mechanics of the offense represented a focus of the bye week.
- K.J. Hill will miss 3-4 weeks with a high ankle sprain.
- Asked about Dontre Wilson's late-night tweets after the Oklahoma win about potentially not getting the ball enough, Meyer said he plans to go find out what the senior was talking about. He said he did not see that Wilson appeared upset or disgruntled.
- Meyer called J.T. Barrett "the best we've ever had" when asked about his decision to run or scramble when a passing play breaks down.
- Ohio State has addressed the possibility of players kneeling during the national anthem: "I respect their rights as citizens but [discussion of protest] hasn't come up."
- On Earle Bruce getting to dot the "i" on Saturday, Meyer called it "great" and said he is very happy for Bruce. The two had dinner the other night and remain close.
- "That is very serious stuff." — Meyer on the fact there are so many former Ohio State staffers on Chris Ash's staff at Rutgers. Meyer said Ohio State has changed some of its defensive signals.
- "We're going to need them all." — Meyer when asked about using his linebackers once Dante Booker returns from an MCL sprain. Booker is probable this week, Meyer said.
- Justin Hilliard had surgery after tearing his left biceps: "That's one of those, how the hell did that happen?"
- Asked about assistant coaches leaving his program to become head coaches, Meyer said he tells them to give Ohio State two good years "then we'll help you out." He brought up a quote from former Alabama head coach Paul "Bear" Bryant, claiming that "the best way to get another job is to be great in your job."
- Asked if any head coach is safe anymore after LSU fired Les Miles, Urban Meyer smiled and said, “Just gotta beat Rutgers, man."
- Meyer likes his team but hopes that Ohio State has an uptempo practice on Monday. All the attention and press conferences that come with being the No. 2 team in the country is something that concerns him, however.
- On Rutgers, Meyer noted the Scarlet Knights lost two star players in Janarion Grant and Quanzell Lambert for the season: "Very tough for them. They're two really good players." Meyer added that he thinks Grant is a "dynamic" player: "I was already working on him last week."
- Meyer again reiterates that he is very much against an early signing period. He said kids should be able to decommit and go elsewhere if they want to: "If I'm a high school coach, I'm not in favor of that either."
- On the nine straight weeks with a Big Ten game, Meyer said he is worried about the grind on a player: "That's when you hope you have enough depth ... I'm kind of looking out in the future as well. We're at the grind now."
- Meyer does not believe he is allowed to comment about Greg Schiano's accident last Friday morning where he hit a bicyclist: "Just concerned for that young man."
- Rutgers has implemented Ohio State's defense after Ash took over there: "Up front there, they played toe-to-toe against Iowa." The Hawkeyes beat Rutgers 14-7 on Saturday.
