With over a week having passed since Ohio State lost 49-20 to Purdue, the Buckeyes are ready to get back on the field against Nebraska at noon on Saturday. Four days before the matchup, Urban Meyer joined the weekly Big Ten coaches teleconference to discuss his team and the upcoming game.
Here are some notes from what Meyer discussed on Tuesday's teleconference.
Urban Meyer, Ohio State
- On whether the team has figured out the problems on defense: "Yes, we were. I think I mentioned it yesterday, but number one was missed tackles and number two was the penalties that kept drives alive. You get against a good offense, you get a chance to get off the field, extend it for a penalty. And obviously we're looking at scheme adjustments too, making sure we have the right people in the right place to do the right things.
- On whether the team figured out the problems in the run game: "We have. Now it's a matter of getting it executed and getting our guys healthy, which I believe they are. We're going to face a very similar front to the one we saw last week, which is a run-stopping front, the bear defense against Nebraska. It's pad level, it's coming off the ball and it's getting the right schemes on against that defense."
- Says Dre'Mont Jones is "elite" and was "really unblockable at times" in the spring. Says he's one of the team's best players and is having a "really good year."
- Says Robert Landers has "not been the same" since dealing with multiple injuries, but is "full speed" now.
- Says Thayer Munford practiced yesterday and will be good to go.
- Meyer says he thought the pass rush would be "a little bit better" this year since the team has good pass rushers, but "there's a lot of time left."
- Says Wyatt Davis is "very close to playing." Says he has to be one of the most improved players from summer until now.
- Says teams "have to have balance," though he admitted there might be more passes with Dwayne Haskins as quarterback.
- Says Isaiah Prince has played "pretty well" this year.
- Meyer says C.J. Saunders, Damon Arnette and Jeffrey Okudah will play on Saturday.
- "I just love the game, I love players and I love this university. I want to do it as long as I can."
- "First of all, this is a completely different team than we saw a year ago." He says they're firing on "all cylinders" on offense.
- Says there's "a sting" after a loss and "you want to fix it."
- He says the Big Ten has "turned into a very difficult league." Says easy wins "don't exist."
- On J.K. Dobbins and Mike Weber: "They're both very frustrated, as we all are, as the offensive line is. There's times where you've got to make your own hole and plow through it and make positive yardage. We worked extremely hard in that on the bye week. Frustration is the right word. They're both great people. They want to do well first for the team, but also they're prideful guys. They want that ball and they want to rip through and get some big yards."
Here are some highlights from the other Big Ten coaches during Tuesday's teleconference.
Chris Ash, Rutgers
- "We're coming off a much-needed bye week this last week. Got a chance to rest and recover, get some guys back that hopefully will play this next week that were not able to play with us the last time we played."
- On what he thought watching Jonathan Taylor while recruiting him: "We thought he was going to be a very good player. He was well built, is a physical kid. Had really good speed. That was probably the one thing that stood out the most in high school was his track times and you could just tell once he got into a strength and conditioning program, the way he was built, he was going to be a big, strong, physical kid."
Jim Harbaugh, Michigan
- Says Penn State's defensive line stands out on film. "Really, the whole group is impressive. Like I said, it's the best we've played so far. Aggressive group that's very strong. Inside pass rush as well as speed and power on the edge. Impressive group."
Paul Chryst, Wisconsin
- Says evaluating Jonathan Taylor as a high school prospect was easy. Calls him an "unbelievable person."
Scott Frost, Nebraska
- On running back Devine Ozigbo: "I wasn't here last year, so I can't speak too much on that. I know that he's improved steadily and consistently since we've got here. I think he would give credit to Zach Duval and our strength staff. he's leaner. He's quite a bit faster and quicker than he was last season. The best thing I can say about him is he persevered through a competition with several other guys, even not being the starter at the beginning of the season. Sometimes not giving up is the key to anybody's success. He kept fighting and kept swinging and turned into our number one option in the backfield."
- On whether Nebraska prepares any differently when facing a national power after a loss: "We don't approach any game any differently. We want to be at our best from a preparation standpoint, practice standpoint ever week. We can't control those other circumstances. All we can control is how we practice. I know what we're getting into going up there. Probably the worst week of the year to play these guys. But, our guys are excited to go up there and play and have had a good week of practice, so we can't control any of the other things, all we can do is control our preparation."
- On defending Dwayne Haskins and the Ohio State pass game: "We have to cover the guys he's throwing to. We've got to get a pass rush on him. Those aren't ground-breaking statements or startling statements. That's the case against anybody. Obviously, as talented as a passer as there is in the country and has a bunch of weapons around him. We're worried about that. My guess would be they're going to be a little more committed to the run coming off two weeks and extra time to work. We're got to be ready for everything that they can throw at us."
- On facing the Ohio State defense: "We've got to play well. They're as talented as a team as I've seen on tape and as we've played. Have talent at every position. It really comes down to our scheme and our gameplan are good, we've got to be able to block them and get open and execute well. And that's tough to do against a team as talented as theirs."
- Says he has never been to Ohio Stadium before.
Mark Dantonio, Michigan State
- Says Felton Davis will be back on Thursday after having surgery on Friday. He will likely not make it to away games. He only needs one class in the spring to graduate, so he might take it online and train away from East Lansing.
- He says the Cotton Bowl is and was a "tremendous experience."
Kirk Ferentz, Iowa
- We've flipped the page and have to do that because we travel on the road again, another tough environment against a very, very well coached, good Purdue football team. Another big challenge for our team.
- "Even though it is approaching November right now, this thing is all totally unpredictable. I think every year in college football tends to be that way. This year, there's plenty of examples of why it's better to keep your focus on what's in front of you because a lot of unpredictable things happen." Says he saw the Oregon State-Arizona game.
- Says Amani Hooker wasn't highly recruited, but the staff "really liked him." Says he brings an energy to the team beyond just being a good player
P.J. Fleck, Minnesota
- On his demeanor on the sideline: "I'm just me. I don't know if that's animated, active. That's just me." Says the entire Minnesota staff focuses on coaches in a positive way.
- On his mentors: "I'd say Jim Tressel ... Was a little bit more subdued on the sideline or his personality wasn't the exact same as mine, but I learned so much from him to just care. Care about everything./ Care about that player. Everything you do in the program is about those players. That's what Jim Tressel taught me. Greg Schiano I guess would be on the opposite end of that spectrum. He taught me how to demand and motivate and inspire people. He had so much energy. It kind of matched my energy. We're not the same people. So you learn and kind of fit somewhere in between that."
Pat Fitzgerald, Northwestern
- Says Northwestern is not a "finished product."
- Says the Wildcats have a "golden opportunity" on Saturday against Notre Dame to just "cut it loose and have fun."
Lovie Smith, Illinois
- Opening statement: "We're just excited about playing a good Minnesota team this week that had a hard-earned victory last week. Last year as we played them, hard-fought game."
- He did not get any questions.
Matt Canada, Maryland
- In his opening statement, he said there'll be a "very exciting game" against a Michigan State team that is, and has always been, well coached.
- He did not get any questions.
Jeff Brohm, Purdue
- In his opening statement, he says he's looking forward to getting back on the field against Iowa. The players are disappointed after losing to Michigan State.
- He did not get any questions.
James Franklin, Penn State
- On the Big Ten: "We've got a really good conference in terms of the talent in our conference. I think we've got a really good conference in terms of the coaches and the experience that I think obviously we're in a part of the country and we're in a conference that really loves and really appreciates football. We get great attendance, we get great support and it creates for challenging gameday environments. So you've got a combination of talented teams. You've got a combination of talented coaches. You've got a combination of very challenging venues. And then on top of that, we chose to play a nine-game schedule, so we beat each other up."
