Ohio State coach Urban Meyer had plenty of praise to go around during his first press conference of the week on Monday, two days after his team's 54-21 win against UNLV.
A total of 22 players were named as champions for their performances on offense and defense, while an additional six players were recognized for their performances on special teams.
Isaiah Prince was named as Ohio State's offensive player of the game against UNLV. J.T. Barrett, K.J. Hill, Terry McLaurin, Johnnie Dixon, Austin Mack, Binjimen Victor, Marcus Baugh, Luke Farrell, Antonio Williams, Jamarco Jones, Billy Price and Michael Jordan were also named offensive champions for the game.
Defensive champions for the UNLV game were co-defensive players of the game Nick Bosa and Dre'Mont Jones as well as Jalyn Holmes, Tyquan Lewis, Sam Hubbard, Denzel Ward, Damon Arnette, Jordan Fuller and Jerome Baker.
Elijaah Goins was named as Ohio State's special teams player of the game, while Pete Werner, Parris Campbell, Malik Harrison, Isaiah Pryor and Jared Drake were also recognized for their efforts on special teams.
As for Dwayne Haskins, Meyer said he thought Ohio State's backup quarterback played "good" in his first extended game action but needs to be less reckless with the ball.
Here's what else you need to know from Meyer's latest media gathering:
- Prince had his "best week of practice" leading up to the UNLV game.
- The overall direction of the offensive line right now is "very good."
- Michael Hill remains suspended for this week's game.
- C.J. Saunders has the ability to play "when it counts," but needs to get stronger in order to make that happen.
- Rutgers is "much improved" on defense. "You can see Chris Ash's fundamentals on it, and also scheme."
- Mike Weber has been cleared from his hamstring injury and will play on Saturday.
- Joe Burrow has been cleared but is still not 100 percent.
- Chris Worley and Robert Landers are probable to play Saturday as they recover from foot injuries.
- Malik Barrow is out for the season with a torn ACL.
- Parris Campbell could start playing a role similar to what Curtis Samuel played last year. "That conversation's already started."
- Some of the pass interference calls in Saturday's game were "questionable," but Ohio State's defensive backs need to fix their technique in order to avoid those penalties.
- Meyer said he has texted with Texas coach and former offensive coordinator Tom Herman, but has not talked to him, since his comments about the coach in an interview with CBS Sports earlier this month.
- Meyer said he has not addressed the issue of national anthem protests in the NFL with his team.
- Meyer said he could "tell right away" that Rutgers coach Chris Ash was going to be a future head coach when he was an assistant at Ohio State.
- Sean Nuernberger "acted like a little boy" when he first got to Ohio State but is "a grown man" now in terms of his maturity.
- Nuernberger has been helping coach Blake Haubeil on kickoffs. Meyer thought Haubeil performed much better on kickoffs on Saturday, with the exception of one kickoff out of bounds.
- Does Meyer have a target weight for Saunders? "He just has to get bigger."
Check back with Eleven Warriors this afternoon for further coverage from the Woody Hayes Athletic Center.
