After a hard-fought game against Minnesota, the Buckeyes are 7-0 heading into a primetime matchup with Purdue and its high-powered offense.
Urban Meyer and Brian Hartline took to the radio waves on Thursday afternoon to break down that win over Minnesota and preview what figures to be a tough road test this weekend.
Here are some of the highlights.
Urban Meyer
On the second-half defense
- Meyer said he believes they held them to almost three scoreless quarters.
- "Turnovers were a positive – we're one of the top teams in the country in turnover ratio."
- "Big plays are not a positive right now."
- "I think the adjustments we make at halftime are very good."
On turnovers on Saturday
- "That's a big priority of ours."
- Urban Meyer said they teach how to create a turnover, then how to return it.
- Praised Shaun Wade, Isaiah Pryor and Kendall Sheffield for creating turnovers.
On Blake Haubeil:
- Meyer found out about Sean Nuernberger's injury just moments before kickoff. "I would have had to tell you about 4 minutes before kickoff."
- They didn't want to risk an injury because that could have ended his season.
- Said Blake Haubeil will get the start on Saturday. "We do have a lot of confidence in Blake."
- Urban Meyer taught Blake Haubeil that his celebration is to "hug a big guy," not wave to the crowd
Tim Hortons coffee with the coach question from Michael in Barberton: "Is there a need for blocking backs, like a fullback, in the spread offense?"
"Sure," Meyer said "The spread is ever-changing."
Meyer said their own spread has changed given the personnel they have, though it's still considered a spread offense.
Meyer praised Tom Herman about bringing tempo to Ohio State's offense.
He said the key to going tempo is having the offensive linemen buy into it.
On the receivers so far this year
- "They're second only to the offensive line."
- "I don't know if we've ever had" the talent that they have in the two-deep.
- "There's good ones coming up too."
On one-hand catches
- Meyer said they do practice it at times
- "There's going to be times that it has to happen."
- "That's one of the hardest catches in football" Meyer said of K.J. Hill's catches
- "They do work on that. Every player works on their skill, and that is part of their skill."
On the offense
- "I'm going to preach balance again, and we're going to continue to work at it."
- "We just need to have a little more balance."
- Meyer said at some point, it's going to bite them that they can't run the football.
- Called Minnesota a "top-20" defense.
Scouting Purdue
- Urban Meyer praised Purdue's Rondale Moore as a game breaker
- Defense has gotten "really good" in the past few weeks
- "They're primarily four down but they play bear a lot"
On field position
- "We're No. 1 in America right now in field position start for our defense."
- "Our goal is for them to start as far down in their territory as they can."
- Meyer noted that they put their best players on the punt team for a reason
Injury report
- Jonathon Cooper is back
- Malik Harrison will be back
- BB Landers is probable
- Damon Arnette is questionable
- Thayer Munford is probable
- Meyer said Brady Taylor and Branden Bowen should be getting back within the next week or two
On Nick Bosa's decision
- "They'll go down as legends at Ohio State, and rightfully so."
- "The Bosa name will live forever here."
- "We wish them the best, and I love that family."
- "When you start talking about top-five picks, you understand."
Brian Hartline
On the receivers
- "They're a great group of young men."
- "They provide the platform for learning, growing and being receptive."
- Hartline said he's blessed to have a great group of young men.
On the leadership in the receivers room
- They don't talk a lot, but when they do, they want it to be meaningful
- "They aren't really 'rah, rah' guys."
- When they do speak up, both the offense and defense listens
On the receivers aiding Dwayne Haskins' growth
- "I think it's been crucial."
- The communication has been excellent."
- Hartline said the receivers have helped Haskins become comfortable as he learns the offense.
On unselfishness in the receivers room
- Hartline said to a point, you have to be selfish in sports or else you won't play well individually, but the receivers all love each other
- He said Johnnie Dixon grabbed Terry McLaurin and put him in the game in his place to get a touchdown because he knew where the ball was going and he already had a touchdown.
On Binjimen Victor's development
- "I like it a lot. I think he's doing a really good job."
- "We don't have time to wait."
- "attack each day like it's their last."
- "We can't afford to not maximize each day."
On the receivers' blocking efforts
- "The culture has always been here – if you can't block, you can't play at Ohio State."
- "It's a buy in, obviously, but a lot of times you're blocking for other guys in the room."
- "We pride ourselves on that – everyone blocks hard."
- "It can't slip."
On going against Ohio State's secondary in practice
- "Iron sharpens iron."
- "They reason they're the best is because they compete agains the best."
- "As long as that continues through the year, we'll fare well on Saturdays."
The Buckeyes travel to take on Purdue at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday.
