With talk of the Big Ten potentially playing football games on Friday nights dominating headlines on Wednesday, the Ohio State Buckeyes held their midweek practice in preparations for Nebraska.
Another opportunity for both the Buckeyes and Nebraska to secure a victory against a top-10 opponent kicks off shortly after 8 p.m. on Saturday from Ohio Stadium.
Unseasonably warm temperatures continue to beset central Ohio as Urban Meyer and his team took another step toward playing in the lone home night game on their schedule. Meyer took questions after practice from the media in the team room of the Woody Hayes Athletic Center.
NOTES:
- Curtis Samuel is the one player Meyer does sometimes force the ball to on offense, "just because he's our best playmakers." Added that he tries not to do it too much, however, because it causes the offense to be disjointed.
- On the subject of enjoying victories, Meyer continues to stress that with his players and staff: "We had that happen at Florida too ... we've won a lot around here. Gotta enjoy it."
- Game management and facing certain defenses dictate how much Ohio State's offense uses tempo: "Still a good chunk of times during the game where we play tempo."
- "I think he's having a helluva year. If we didn't have him, what else would we be talking about? I'm not sure the fixation with him other than I love him and he's a great player." — Meyer on Samuel.
- On the subject of the Big Ten playing Friday night games in the future: “I did not know. We’ve got to find a way to beat Nebraska."
- Meyer thinks it's "great" for his team to have experience playing so many night games already: "It's all good. We've had a tough schedule this year. We had a very good practice today. It's part of the game."
- On Tommy Armstrong Jr., Meyer said he had "about a 4-minute conversation" with former Nebraska quarterbacks coach Tim Beck: "Everything we've seen on video, however, shows he's an incredible player."
- Will Meyer be watching Game 7 of the World Series? "What is it, Wednesday? It'll be on here, yeah."
- "It's Nebraska, a tradition-rich program ... should be exciting Saturday."
- Asked about Greg Schiano, Meyer brought up the working relationship between him and Luke Fickell: "The way they treat players, the way they are loyal to Ohio State, they're unique guys. There is no issue."
