Just four days before Ohio State takes on Penn State with first place in the Big Ten East on the line, Urban Meyer joined the weekly Big Ten coaches teleconference on Tuesday.
Here are some notes from what Meyer discussed on the teleconference.
Urban Meyer, Ohio State
- On Penn State's offense: "You have to give them credit because Miles Sanders pops right in there and he's an outsanding player." He says McSorley is the guy who make the offense "so good" and compliments his competitive spirit. Meyer says Penn State has one of the better offensive lines since he arrived at Ohio State.
- On the whiteout: "It's just a very difficult environment." He says it's always tough when the two stories programs face off, whether it be in Columbus or Happy Valley.
- Says Penn State has new starters on defense, but they "understand their scheme."
- He calls is a "move the chains" type of game that will require constant first downs.
- Says he thinks the playoff committee does a "great job." He says he and Gene Smith rarely talk about it and that he hasn't given it much thought.
- On avoiding players paying attention to playoff implications: "There is no issue with that. This is all about getting ready for a very good team."
- Says he's most pleased with the team's ability to replace key injured players.
- Says "giving up big plays" is the biggest issue and it's tough this week because this is a "big-play offense."
- Meyer says Haskins has not exceeded expectations, but that he has done a great job with his "management of the offense."
- On Tuf Borland: "He's played good." Says he has been on "pitch counts" because many people wouldn't be back until November. Says he's "free to go play" on Saturday.
- He again says McSorley's "competitive spirit" stands out.
- Meyer says Ohio State's defensive coaches have told him there isn't much difference between Penn State's offense this year and last year despite offensive coordinator Joe Moorhead departing for Mississippi State in the offseason.
Here are some highlights from the other Big Ten coaches during Tuesday's teleconference.
Chris Ash, Rutgers
- "Big week for our program as we get back into Big Ten play. Have an Indiana football team coming to our stadium that's playing with confidence. We're disappointed in our 1-3 start and even more disappointed and frustrated about how we continue to beat ourselves. We've got to get some of those issues taken care to be able to go into Big Ten play and be able to have some success."
- Says he has "leaned on" players, especially the older players, to give thoughts on what the team thinks and sees, but he relies most heavily, of course, on the coaches, especially offensive coordinator John McNulty.
- On whether he knows which quarterback will start against Indiana: "We have an idea. We feel good with what we think will work out. " He says until the team practices, the coaching staff will not be able to determine a quarterback.
Jim Harbaugh, Michigan
- On the biggest challenge of playing in the Big Ten that other conferences don't have to deal with: "I can't think of something. I can't think of what a challenge would be."
- On the new redshirt rule: "I think it's going good. Had been for it since it's been established. Think it's been good for student-athletes and the application of it has been good. Been very positive. Haven't seen anything that hasn't made it a productive, positive thing for the players."
- Asked about whether he discussed whether older players transferring was a discussion point: "Just in general the rule of that you don't have to have permission to speak to other teams or start to inquire as to whether you can transfer to another school, I think that's probably the biggest. Giving the players more flexibility, which I don't see as a negative."
- Second-year cornerback Benjamin St-Juste is out for the year due to injury.
- Luiji Vilain had a successful surgery a couple days ago. Doctors feel like it went well. "His spirits are good and we feel like he'll be able to progress forward."
- On whether recruiting has changed now: "I'd say it's more similar than it is different."
- On how social media has changed recruiting: "Yeah, there's ways that. The good part is that pretty much every players gets seen. Very few go under the radar because technology advances."
Paul Chryst, Wisconsin
- On the biggest challenge of playing in the Big Ten that other conferences don't have to deal with: "I think each conferences has it's own kind of uniqueness to it." Says he coached and played in other conferences, but it's hard to compare because things change so quickly.
Scott Frost, Nebraska
- "It's a good league and you're trying to catch really good teams that we were behind. We definitely got out-physicaled the other day. We'll do everything we can to try to close the gap every single week. But I don't think it's any nature of this league that makes it any tougher to catch people, it's just the quality of teams in this league."
- Do the past three weeks influence Frost's mental timetable for how long a rebuilt might take? "I'm not worried about that. I'm worried about Purdue. We have to play really good to win this game. We're trying to practice in a way that gives them a chance to win this game. We're going to have a big-picture look at everything when it comes to fixing culture and making sure guys are doing things the right way and strength and conditioning. But I'm not worried about any of that right now. I'm worried about Saturday."
- Says he thinks the redshirt rule is beneficial for the freshmen who get an opportunity to play, despite some players transferring from other schools.
Mark Dantonio, Michigan State
- Asked whether his special teams fake on Saturday: "Really, we had not faked anything for the past year, so we were due."
Kirk Ferentz, Iowa
- "We had a tough defeat against a good Wisconsin team on Saturday night. The stadium was fantastic. We just had a really good football environment. The fans couldn't have been better. It was a really tough, hard-fought game by both teams. They prevailed. They did a very good job. Our guys played hard, as well. We've got to move on and take advantage of a bye week here and then we'll get ready for our next game next week."
P.J. Fleck, Minnesota
- Says Antonio Winfield Jr.'s injury is an opportunity for young players to step up and earn playing time.
- On how Winfield Jr. is recovering: "Good. He had surgery yesterday. He's going really well, recovering well. His family came to town. He's going well and is going to spend some time at home for a little while as he recovers, and then be back here and get ready to go. I keep telling him, he's getting younger and younger each year. Now he's like a redshirt redshirt freshman. It'd kind of interesting." He says it's unfortunate, but it gives young player opportunities to play.
Pat Fitzgerald, Northwestern
- On how Michigan has developed players: "Coach has done a great job. Obviously the success that they've had developing their guys speaks for itself. You watch them on tape and it's a compliment but you can't tell the difference in opponent in watching the older guys compared to the younger guys. I think they're all very talented, but they're very well-coached fundamentally and schematically, they know what they're doing."
- He says Jeremy Larkin, who was forced to medically retire from football, will stick around as a student assistant coach, then likely will enter coaching as a graduate assistant.
Lovie Smith, Illinois
- Says Illinois was playing "good football" against Penn State on Saturday until things "fell apart" in the third quarter. "The bye week gives us the opportunity to tighten up some things, get out to recruit and just kind of evaluate where we're at as we go forward."
- On whether there was anything Penn State did that surprised him: "No, I can't say that many different things. I think most people kind of establish who they are and they don't deviate that much from their basic philosophy. Especially spread offenses. There are some basic formations you're going to get and a lot similar runs. So, of course, you change up maybe some patterns or something like that, but the base of what you're going to do, I'm thinking Penn State, is we went into the game is what they did. We knew going in, of course, they had a versatile quarterback that of course could make all the throws, that could run the ball when he needed to. That's kind of what we saw."
- On Penn State's offensive line: "Of course, you know, how they handled us, one of the reasons why they are as good as they are is because of the offensive line is what we would say."
Matt Canada, Maryland
- "Really proud of our players and happy that they were able to go out and perform and get a win."
- Asked whether he prefers to have a bye week this week or not: "I think all you can do is deal with the hand you're dealt. So, we're going to be excited about having the week to focus on ourselves."
Jeff Brohm, Purdue
- "We're looking forward to making our first road trip of the year." Says he's looking forward to playing at Nebraska, a venue with much tradition and history.
- On identity when building important: "It's very important." Says it's different for Scott Frost at a program like Nebraska with such rich history.
- On Rondale Moore: "It's important when you have a guy like that that you get him plenty of touches. So, yes, every week we want to figure out things that we do that can get it to him, but also what can we do new that can get him the ball. Sometimes, that's up the field deep, but sometimes, it's hey let's get it to him behind the line of scrimmage or let's get it to him real quick so he can do his thing before the defender gets on him. That's kind of the constant battle we have every week is let's make sure we do that, yet not over-utilize him and force him the ball too much."
James Franklin, Penn State
- On when in the first four games he saw the light come on for Miles Sanders: "I wouldn't say there was a moment. He's been learning and growing and building conference since the day he stepped on campus." Says Sanders has gotten better every single day, and it helped to be behind Saquon Barkley. "We think he's playing behind a pretty experienced and talented offensive line."
- Says Ohio State is "obviously" different with Haskins at quarterback because he is able to distribute the ball all over the field to "really talented wide receivers and running backs." He calls Ohio State's offensive line of the better ones since Franklins arrived.
- On keeping everyone grounded on weekends of big games: "It doesn't really start this week. That's how we always approach things." He says he has been criticized for not raising intensity for games against high-ranked opponents. "Every week is the Super Bowl."
- Says he has a "pretty good understanding" of how the College Football Playoff selection committee works, but the challenging part is how frequently the individuals on the committee change.
- Most difficult challenge preparing for game between two big-time offenses is getting players to understand big plays might happen, but they have to continue to chip away. "They're going to make some plays. We're going to make some plays. There's no doubt about that."
- Says this will be a 12-round heavyweight fight and Penn State must stay focused at the "goal at hand" even if Ohio State hits a big play.
- Says transferring has been made "easier and easier," so the redshirt rule isn't the only thing that has led to more transfers among veterans. "I'm concerned. I'm concerned about it." He says the decisions have been "very football driven" and some of the transfer rules were put in place with academics in mind.
