INDIANAPOLIS – Following his team's arrival in Indianapolis on Friday afternoon, Ohio State coach Urban Meyer met with the media at Lucas Oil Stadium to preview tomorrow's Big Ten Championship Game.
As expected, many of the questions during Friday's press conference centered around Ohio State's quarterback situation, with J.T. Barrett coming off a knee injury that forced the Buckeyes to turn to Dwayne Haskins to finish last Saturday's game at Michigan.
Meyer said Barrett began throwing on Wednesday, practiced in full on Thursday and has been cleared to play. Meyer also confirmed that Barrett underwent a procedure on his injured knee on Sunday.
Even though Barrett has been cleared to play, though, Meyer said it is a possibility that Haskins could also be in Saturday's game plan.
"Oh, sure. Absolutely," Meyer said when asked whether it is possible that Haskins could be in Ohio State's game plan regardless of Barrett's health.
Here's what else you need to know from Meyer's press conference:
- Meyer said the Buckeyes will monitor Barrett's running closely.
- On Ohio State's top six wide receivers: "I can't say enough about those guys."
- Meyer said different players react differently to arthroscopic knee surgeries like Barrett had: "I've had guys play before a week after having that procedure, I've had guys who can't. Body has to react a certain way. His has been very positive."
- On playing indoors: "I think having no weather issues is a positive for both teams."
- Would Meyer take Nick Bosa or Joey Bosa? "I think you know my answer, and that's we're playing a very good Wisconsin team." Meyer called on another media member to give that answer for him when asked whether he would compare Haskins potentially playing to Cardale Jones.
- On the typical recovery from a knee scope being two or three weeks, but Barrett being ready in six days: "He's not normal."
- Does the offense need to change if Dwayne Haskins is called upon to play? "We've had a lot of conversations about that. Conceptually, it doesn't change at all," Meyer said, but the quarterbacks do have somewhat different skill sets.
- Meyer said the Buckeyes will stick with the same lineup of Jerome Baker, Tuf Borland and Chris Worley at linebacker, but Dante Booker is now healthy and ready to play if needed, as is Malik Harrison.
- Any other injuries in practice this week? "I think we're good to go."
- On Wisconsin: "The common theme is they're tough, and they play so darn hard."
- With as many games as he has played in his career, Barrett has had to play through pain on previous occasions. Meyer referenced back to when Barrett played through a second-degree MCL sprain against Penn State in 2014.
- Meyer acknowledges that his team has had trouble defending the play-action pass against power running teams.
- Meyer acknowledged that the early signing period creates challenges with other coaching staffs recruiting this week while the Buckeyes are preparing to play a game tomorrow, but he added, "the best recruiting tool out there is for us to play well tomorrow."
- Mike Weber will continue to start on kickoff returns tomorrow.
- Meyer said he was not part of the decision for Barrett to have a surgical procedure. That decision was made between Barrett and the team doctor.
- On playing at Lucas Oil Stadium: "This stadium takes your breath away a little bit."
Following a photo op featuring the two coaches, Wisconsin coach Paul Chryst followed Meyer on the podium to take his own set of questions from the media, including a myriad of questions about preparing to play the Buckeyes.
What you need to know from Chryst's press conference:
- Chryst reiterates that Wisconsin has prepared all week expecting to face J.T. Barrett, but that preparing for the quarterback is only one part of preparing for the Buckeyes. "We know we’re going to get Ohio State’s best."
- Does it help in preparation to have at least some tape on Haskins, since Haskins played last week? "It can be beneficial."
- On facing Ohio State’s offense: "We’re going to get tested in a different way tomorrow night. I think it's a really good offense, and we haven't played them yet. I think it's different than any of the outfits we've played to this point."
- On Big Ten Freshman of the Year running back Jonathan Taylor: "I've loved the way that Jonathan has gone about this whole season. I've loved the way that he's approached every new experience that he's gone through this year."
- "I know our players are excited about this game. We're excited about this game because we're playing for a Big Ten championship, and that's what we feel."
- In response to a reporter saying that Ohio State is, without question, one of the most talented teams in college football: "I know."
