ICYMI:
- NIU depth chart.
- Video: Official Ohio State vs. Virginia Tech highlights.
URBAN'S NEW 'TUDE. As anybody who has played a video game on a ridiculously easy level can attest: Winning is fun... until it isn't.
Urban Meyer wasn't playing a video game at Florida of course, and considering his daily intensity levels, it's no surprise that his competitive nature took control of his life.
From TheOzone.net:
COLUMBUS – After winning the national championship in 2008 at Florida, head coach Urban Meyer had a talented team return to Gainseville in 2009 led by senior quarterback Tim Tebow and 11 starters on defense from the previous year. His Gator team was expected to repeat and he was determined to make that happen.
Throughout the season, Meyer became obsessed with his team winning, making it his sole focus. When the team didn’t perform up to the standard set, he would go back to the film in an attempt to figure out what went wrong. Determined, crazed to solve the problems.
[...]
“We're just finishing a 38-0 game; go enjoy it,” Meyer said after his No. 1 Ohio State team beat Hawaii on Saturday. “I will say this, that I’ve been in this situation before. I let it be a weight on the team and me. When you're winning games, it's like, ‘Why didn't you score this? Why didn't you do this? Why didn't you do this?’ I'm going to go see my family, have a hell of a time tonight, and make sure our players come in bright eyed, ready to rock and roll tomorrow and get a little better.”
Some fans could take a note on Urban Meyer's newfound philosophy. Sure, the 38-0 was flawed, but everyone involved knows it. So what's the point in tearing down yourself over the past?
It's the little stuff like this that lets you know Urban Meyer's tenure is on surer footing than it was in Gainesville.
FRESHMEN ON THE BRINK. The 2015 recruiting class was the highest-rated of the Urban Meyer era, but no freshmen have yet to make a true impact on the 2015 season.
What's up with that?
From Scout.com:
"You wish you could get them in faster,” [Urban Meyer] said. “Nick Conner is so close and (Jerome) Baker. Justin Hilliard had a good week. Offensive line, Isaiah got in. I'd say the next one, Mike Weber should be coming back this week. He'll be a guy that will probably play.
“K.J. (Hill), he certainly has earned a right to mix in there a little bit, but we're not sure we're going to do that yet. He had a little injury too, but he's fine now. You wish you'd play more, but right now we've got a little bit of depth.”
The unspoken name in that group was Torrance Gibson, the explosive quarterback-turned-wide receiver who won't redshirt but has been slowed by an injury suffered in fall camp.
We saw this last year with Sam Hubbard. Urban would rave about him any chance he got... and then he redshirted. Not that I think a guy like Torrance Gibson is headed for a redshirt, but it shouldn't surprise anyone that freshman are having a tough time finding minutes on a team as talented as Ohio State's.
Still, Urban Meyer doesn't dole out undue public praise, so the aforementioned freshmen are obviously on the right track. As for the Mike Weber hype train — consider me a member.
OSU CAN KEEP BOSA FRESH. Larry Johnson said on Monday that Joey Bosa should play between 60 and 65 snaps a game to be at his best. (He routinely saw over 80 last year.)
Bosa played 0 snaps against Virginia Tech, and while losing a future Top 5 NFL Draft pick is never a good idea, it's actually turned into a blessing in disguise.
From ESPN.com:
Lewis, Holmes and Hubbard all have sacks already. Holmes has forced a fumble, Hubbard has recovered one and Lewis has shown a relentless motor with two tackles for a loss. And while their early success isn’t going to leave Bosa fearing for his job, it does leave him in an early hole with some ground to make up statistically.
“We’re not just going to put guys in because we say we’re a going to roll eight people, we’re not going to put guys in there just because we get up a few points,” defensive coordinator Luke Fickell said. “We’re going to put guys in that deserve to be in there, and that’s the beautiful thing about it. At that position, those guys have earned the opportunity to get in there.
“You hate to say it was because of somebody else’s fault, but it has given them an opportunity to do some things.”
Ohio State's depth is going to carry it through the regular season. Then when the playoffs role around, Ohio State's workhorses will be fresh and the SEC champion will be crying about getting "beat up" during the regular season (despite the month off).
BURRELL LEARNS THE HARD WAY. When you're a kid, you can eat 500 pounds of Skittles in 72 hours and your metabolism will beast it. Not so much when you're 18, as freshman OL Matthew Burrell found out on Tuesday:
@majiiinbuu and @jjones_74 just ate 8294738 pounds of food at Champs
— Stephen Collier (@S13Collier) September 15, 2015
Never thought making weight would be so hard
— Majin (@majiiinbuu) September 15, 2015
Welcome to adulthood, young fella. It's not fun. (Aside: Still patiently awaiting to shout "Majiiiiiiiiiin!" when a pulling Burrell bulldozes a LB.)
MAL-COLM JEN-KINS *CLAP* *CLAP* *CLAP CLAP CLAP*. El Guapo earned the headlines on Monday night (rightfully so) but Malcolm Jenkins was out here making plays as well:
Sure, he could've had one (maybe two) interceptions... but it's clear Jenkins still has plenty in the tank, which is always good to see.
THOSE WMDs. #MarionStrong: Cat rescued from 60-foot perch... Algerian leader 'retires' all-powerful intelligence chief... How to watch the Browns: Embrace the absurdity... Video: Offline dating... The Silent King of Oregon... Who killed the 20th century's greatest spy?
