Ohio State is set to take on Oklahoma in a rematch of last years 45-24 Buckeye victory in Norman, Okla. and with a primetime game comes plenty of questions.
Urban Meyer joined the Big Ten coaches teleconference Tuesday afternoon to discuss the matchup and briefly look back at Ohio State's Week 1 win over Indiana.
Meyer said the main areas Ohio State needs to improve on is pass defense and hitting the deep ball downfield. He added Mike Weber and J.K. Dobbins will both play against Oklahoma.
Additional Meyer Notes
- Meyer said linebacker Jerome Baker has taken a large step forward in his maturity. Said Baker's attention to detail and academics have improved.
- Meyer said backup quarterback Joe Burrow is throwing in practice. Burrow suffered a wrist injury in fall camp and did not travel to Indiana for the season opener.
- Weber is "faster than he has ever been," according to Meyer. Added that Weber has dropped weight.
- Meyer said "there is far too much" emphasis put on primetime non-conference games early in the season.
Week 1 of the college football season saw the Big Ten finish with a stellar 11-3 overall record, including a 10-2 showing in non-conference games.
Among the highlights were Maryland defeating Texas on the road 51-41, and Michigan dominating Florida in a 33-17 win in Arlington, Texas. Unfortunately for the Terrapins, the upset victory over the Longhorns saw Maryland's quarterback and 2016 sack leader suffer serious injuries.
Even after a plethora of stellar games during the first week, the Big Ten still has plenty of storylines surrounding the conference in Week 2 with Ohio State taking on Oklahoma and Nebraska traveling to Oregon. Other notable games involving Big Ten teams include Minnesota traveling to Oregon State, Iowa taking on Iowa State and Penn State hosting Pittsburgh.
What follows are the main takeaways from the second Big Ten coaches teleconference of the 2017 football season.
Chris Ash (Rutgers)
- Ash said he believes he has three tight ends on his roster he feels comfortable playing with the first team offense, both in the passing and run game.
- Ash said he and Eastern Michigan coach Chris Creighton have a pre-existing relationship due to their common affiliation with Drake University. Ash played at Drake from 1992-95 and Creighton coached Drake from 2008-13.
- Ash said he took a lot of positives from the Rutgers loss to Washington. He pointed out winning the time of possession and added it was the best performance he has gotten from his offense line since becoming the head coach of the Scarlet Knights.
Jim Harbaugh (Michigan)
- Harbaugh praised his entire defense for its performance against Florida in the season opener. The Wolverines only surrendered three points to the Gators offense.
- Harbaugh said he sees some of himself in Wolverine quarterback Wilton Speight.
- Harbaugh said running back Ty Isaac is one of the more coachable players on Michigan's roster. "He is a joy for a coach. I appreciate the way he takes care of his business."
Mike Riley (Nebraska)
- With wild-fires spreading in the state of Oregon, Riley was asked about the possibility of Nebraska's upcoming matchup against the Ducks being moved. He said he had not heard anything about when or where the game might be played if the fires cannot be contained.
- Riley said he was impressed with the speed Oregon displayed in its season-opening win. He added Autzen Stadium is one of the top-five loudest stadiums he has ever coached in. Riley coached at Oregon State from 1997-98, 2003-2014.
Mark Dantonio (Michigan State)
- Dantonio said the Spartans faced a little adversity in their Week 1 win over Bowling Green. MSU trailed the Falcons 3-0 at the end of the first quarter before ultimately winning the game, 35-10.
- Dantonio said he feels the Big Ten has consistently louder fans than the Pac-12, when he was asked about the noise level of Autzen Stadium. He coached MSU in a game against Oregon on the road in 2014.
- On quarterback Brian Lewerke, Dantonio said his signal caller left some plays on the field against Bowling Green. Added he was pleased with how he bounced back from a slow start. Michigan State is set to play Western Michigan on Saturday. The Broncos played No. 4 ranked USC tough for the better part of three quarters Week 1.
Kirk Ferentz (Iowa)
- Ferentz said the upcoming rivalry game between the Hawkeyes and Iowa State is unusual in that it is played in the non-conference and so early in the season.
- Iowa said his team needs to focus on ball security heading into the matchup with the Cyclones. The Hawkeyes committed four turnovers in its season opening win over Wyoming.
P.J. Fleck (Minnesota)
- Fleck said the Golden Gophers didn't run many different running plays against Buffalo in their Week 1 victory. He added he was pleased from his running game, despite a closer than expected victory.
- Fleck said he is still looking for one of his quarterbacks to take a leap and win the starting job. Conor Rhoda and Demry Croft split reps against Buffalo in a 17-7 win.
- Like Nebraska's matchup against Oregon, Minnesota's game against Oregon State could also be moved due to wild-fires. Fleck said he is "willing and able" to move the game or game time against the Beavers.
Lovie Smith (Illinois)
- Smith raved about Western Kentucky quarterback Mike White. White threw for 264 yards and a score in the Hilltoppers Week 1 victory over Eastern Kentucky. The Illini host Western Kentucky this Saturday.
DJ Durkin (Maryland)
- Durkin said he was excited about QB Tyrrell Pigrome's performance against Texas, and added losing him for the season with an injury will challenge his team.
- Durkin praised Week 2 opponent Towson for their defensive ability. The Terrapins are set to take on the in-state school on Saturday at noon.
Jeff Brohm (Purdue)
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Brohm said the Boilermakers will be donning a new chrome helmet against Ohio on Friday night in the home opener.
Chromed out under the #Friday #BoilerUp #LetsPlayFootball pic.twitter.com/TnVnvYH4MQ
— Purdue Football (@BoilerFootball) September 5, 2017 - Brohm said he has not decided on a starting quarterback for Friday's game. David Blough and Elijah Sindelar split reps in Purdue's Week 1 loss to Louisville.
James Franklin (Penn State)
- Franklin said he was drawn to QB Trace McSorely in recruiting because of his ability to win games. McSorely won three state titles in Virginia.
- Franklin said he hasn't had any additional conversation with running back Saquon Barkley about his Heisman hype. Added the conversation is strictly about personal and team goals.
- Franklin said there isn't any additional motivation this week playing in-state rival Pittsburgh. The Panthers handed Penn State a 42-39 loss last season.
Tom Allen (Indiana)
- Allen opened his comments by thanking Indiana fans for their support against Ohio State, despite a Week 1 loss.
- Allen maintained that he believes accuracy is not one of J.T. Barrett's strengths. He added he respects Barrett's ability to win games.
Pat Fitzgerald (Northwestern)
- Fitzgerald said despite injuries in his secondary, he expects the backups to step up in the Wildcats second game of the season against Duke on the road.
- Fitzgerald praised Duke head coach David Cutcliffe. Said he always expects solid quarterback play when going against a Cutcliffe coached team.
Paul Chryst (Wisconsin)
- Chryst was not made available for the teleconference. Wisconsin is set to take on Florida Atlantic on Saturday at noon. The Badgers won their season opener 59-10 over Utah State on Sept. 1.
