Presser Bullets: Urban Meyer Looking For Improvement In Ohio State Spring Practice

Following Ohio State's sixth practice of the spring, Buckeyes head coach Urban Meyer wasn't particularly pleased with how his team performed Monday morning.

"It wasn't a great day in any phase," Meyer said.

Meyer held his second press conference of the spring on Monday, which he began by providing an update on the status of Tuf Borland, announcing that the Buckeyes' projected starting middle linebacker is sidelined with an Achilles injury but that he has not been ruled out for the season.

In addition to expressing some displeasure with how Monday's practice went, Meyer also provided updates on how the Buckeyes will move forward at linebacker, the quarterback competition and more.

Notes from Monday's press conference:

Meyer said he would like to see the H-back get more carries than in 2017. "Parris is a known weapon and Demario is having a good spring too."
Freshman linebacker Dallas Gant will play this season. "He's one of those very mature players. Very smart player, too."
Meyer said it is uncommon for quarterbacks that are competing to be friends off the field, but gave credit to Tom Herman for setting the standard of chemistry in the QB room.
Meyer said he is not looking back on the 2015 competition between Cardale Jones and J.T. Barrett to guide how this year's quarterback competition will play out. "That's history. [You've] gotta move on."
"Today wasn't a very good day" for the Ohio State centers, but Meyer said Brady Taylor is doing well and "the other guys have to get better."
Justin Hilliard and Baron Browning are practicing at middle linebacker with Borland sidelined. Pete Werner also has the versatility to play that position, and Meyer said the Buckeyes are moving linebackers around.
Meyer said the 2019 quarterback class isn't as deep as most recruiting classes at the position, but said the Buckeyes are working just as hard as ever to get a quarterback in the class. "We got to find the right marriage between them and us."
On recruiting quarterbacks, Meyer said arm strength is "not in the top five" criteria for quarterbacks they recruit, even though the Buckeyes have tended to target quarterbacks with stronger arms in recent recruiting classes.
Baron Browning is "as talented a linebacker that's ever walked through these doors," Meyer said.
On signing offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach Ryan Day to a three-year contract extension: "Excellent coach. One of the better ones I've had."
Has there been any separation in the quarterback competition? "Just when you think there has, then someone steps up." Meyer says he couldn't name a depth chart right now.
On both the quarterback competition and the team as a whole: "I thought we would be further ahead right now."
Is there a hierarchy between offensive coordinators Ryan Day and Kevin Wilson? "Maybe. That's for me to know," Meyer said with a smile, reiterating that Day was already a coordinator last year and playcalling is a collaborative effort between them.