Ohio State 2012-2018 Head Coach - Urban Meyer (83-9; 3x National Champion)

Urban Meyer Updates

+ Asked about a verbal commitment who is interested in taking other visits, Meyer said you usually have an idea about the guys who like to look around. When you have that, you always have to keep somebody in mind to fill that slot, but you also keep working that kid if you want him.

+ Meyer said Saturday is a day for two teams in the Big Ten East to separate themselves from everybody else, with both PSU and OSU playing, as well as MSU and UM. Two teams will win and two will lose and things will become much clearer after this weekend.

+ Meyer said last year's game against PSU doesn't have much value to them this year. It was valuable at the time, but doesn't do anything for them this week.

+ Playing two quarterbacks is more about getting a win, but there is a desire to get guys snaps who deserve them. But that will never get in the way of getting the win.

+ Meyer said for the most part he enjoys his call-in show and likes the energy that his callers have. Though he's grown tired of the quarterback questions.

+ Penn State's deep passing game is a danger. They have a lot of respect for Christian Hackenberg. The Buckeyes have defended the deep ball pretty well this season, but they'll have to be ready on Saturday.

+ Steve Spurrier is a very good friend. Meyer called and left him a message when he heard that Spurrier was retiring.

+ Ezekiel Elliott has picked up where he left off last year. This time last year he was still becoming who he is. "He's doing great." He is great without the ball. The PSU game last year was one of the best he's ever seen in terms of blocking.

+ Joey Bosa said he's playing better right now compared to this time last year. Meyer said this time last year he was making mistakes in run assignments and they haven't seen those this year. "He's certainly creating issues for the quarterbacks. I think he's playing great."

 

Urban Meyer Updates

+ The first question focused on handling the red zone quarterback in practice. Meyer said in those situations J.T. Barrett comes out with the first team and Cardale Jones runs the second team. He said the reps are split at a 6:4 ratio.

+ In the red zone there are three ways to be good. He said the quarterback has to be extremely accurate throwing the ball, quarterback run, or option. He said the traditional look is more difficult. Also mentioned OSU has used tempo in the past.

+ Asked to evaluate the special teams so far, Meyer said the field goal kicking is not good from any distance at all. He said the coverage units are playing well and are number one in the country. He said punter Cameron Johnston has done really well.

+ Meyer said Jones has handled the red zone situation about as well as you could imagine. He mentioned that it worked well last week. "It's what happens when it doesn't work so well." He said that it's a concern and something to keep an eye on.

+ Meyer was asked if he sees running back Ezekiel Elliott's eyes get brighter during primetime games. He said elite players do have that and he sees it in Braxton Miller. Sees it in Elliott as well.

+ Freshman safety Malik Hooker has done a nice job this week with the depth issues in the secondary. Meyer said they also have a depth problem at wide receiver. Parris Campbell re-injured his knee and is out for this weekend on top of the other injuries they've had at the position.

+ Meyer said linebacker Jerome Baker and wide receiver K.J. Hill will play this week to help on special teams at the least.

+ Walk-on players are getting reps so they are prepared to go play if needed on special teams or beyond due to the injuries.

+ Asked about the Big Ten East division, Meyer called it "really tough." He said this division is as tough as he's been a part of in his career.

+ There's a chance kicker Sean Nuernberger could get a shot to start, but this week Jack Willoughy will keep his place.

+ Meyer said the passing attack from Penn State is certainly the best they've seen this year. Meyer said the cornerbacks are a strength of what Ohio State does defensively. Said the Nittany Lions get the ball out fast and that falls more on a player like Darron Lee underneath. Said they throw a lot of screens so the defensive line will be involved in that area.

+ Freshman quarterback Torrance Gibson made the move to wide receiver in order to get playing time earlier in the year, but is yet to play. Meyer said he's still coming aong and he's been up and down in practice and his injury set him back. Meyer said they haven't discussed where he will play permanently.

+ Asked what he expects from the night game at Ohio Stadium, Meyer said he loves night games and the new uniforms and the crowd are all a part of that. He said the worst thing is hanging around the hotel all day, but the best thing is the atmosphere in the stadium. "I'm anxious to see it."

 

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Urban Meyer Updates

+ Field goals are still an issue. Jack Willoughby has a great leg but not the consistency that we need. Jerome Baker should play on special teams this week. "We all love him and we're getting him ready to go."

+ Meyer said there is a myth about practicing for Michigan year round. They didn't do that when Meyer was a grad assistant. "They are loaded with very good players." What Michigan is doing now is no surprise. "They're supposed to do well. They have very good players. We know what they're doing."

+ They do a very detailed scripting for every offensive possession and play calling, but it doesn't always go right down the line. They also focus on breaking their own tendencies. Every series gets scripted and they have a script for Barrett down in the red zone as well.

+ The defensive line rotation hasn't worked out as well as they had hoped. The defensive tackle depth needs to improve. The defensive end depth is pretty good. Meyer said you never know about defensive line so whenever you can grab them in recruiting, you do it. "They're good people but we need to get a little more production out of them."

+ The interior of the defense is hurt because the depth just isn't there. Still, they have completely negated the run up the middle by the tailbacks. The only success up the middle the last two weeks have come from quarterback runs.

+ The Buckeyes really had no business winning that game at Penn State last year because they had lost all of the momentum, but J.T. Barrett led them to a pair of quick touchdowns. "Incredible moment."

+ Meyer has not put any thought into the CFP rankings that will be coming out in a couple of weeks. There is no talk about "statement games". They are only focused on Penn State.

+ There is an emphasis each week on getting the ball to Braxton Miller but it doesn't always work out. It worked out last week. Just like it won't always work perfectly with Barrett and Jones. The other teams work hard to take stuff away.

+ Meyer jokingly told a caller that he tore up his family contract a long time ago.

+ OSU will try to match personnel with them when they go with their various packages on offense.

+ The PSU pass defense is sound and they have talented players. "They're a lot like our pass defense." Christian Hackenberg has a live arm. They will play two or three tight ends at a time and run downhill. When they go one back they go with a lot of quick passes and screens.

+ Penn State leads the nation in sacks. They are active and they have NFL players. "They're looking like Penn State." They are back to full scholarship allotment. They don't give up, just like last year.

+ Urban Meyer attributed some of the quarterback rushing success against his defense is the defensive tackle getting out of alignment.

+ The thing Cardale Jones did best last week was manage the game. He checked down four or five times. Not every play draws up perfectly, but the key is to get yards.

+ The big hits down the field in the passing game are a result of defenses loading the box to stop Ezekiel Elliott.

+ The offensive line still isn't where they should be. Pat Elflein was nursing an injury, but he's good now. "This is a very good defensive front we're facing this week."

+ The Buckeyes lose the ability to stretch the field vertically once they get to about the 28-yard line, but they can still stretch defenses wide, which is what J.T. Barrett is better at doing. Things are compressed in the red zone and it's easier to play man coverage. Defenders sit on routes. So they use the QB run more because it allows for an extra blocker and every defender has a blocker. The other way is the "Peyton Manning way", which is to be extremely accurate with the ball. There is also the pound it in with the tailback way of doing things.

+ Urban Meyer is a Cubs fan because he is friends with Joe Maddon.

+ The efficiency of the quarterbacks is so important to the Ohio State offense because "we don't ask them to force things." Both quarterbacks were phenomenal last week. The third-down completion by J.T. Barrett was one of the plays of the day.

+ Receiver Parris Campbell is questionable for Saturday. Tight end Marcus Baugh is really coming on. Receiver K.J. Hill is ahead of Torrance Gibson right now and Hill might play. Linebacker Jerome Baker might play on special teams.

 

Urban Meyer said he's going to evaluate QB play and will have more info on a potential switch on Monday.

— Tim Shoemaker (@TimShoemaker) October 18, 2015

 

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Meyer on jump pass: "we have been wanting to do that for a long time"

— Steve Helwagen (@SteveHelwagen) October 18, 2015

 

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I do not agree with that. The kid proved everything he needed to last year and only lost his job due to injury. Coming back not completely healthy, apparently lost the "competition" in fall camp, only got limited reps and only really played at garbage time for the first 4 games. Meanwhile Jones could have seized the job but did not produce as needed.

JT is the heart and soul of this team, captain, leader and his skill set fits this team including most importantly Zeke who just feeds off of JT and the zone read game..............I do not know how much more he needs to do.

The question I have is WHY did JT have to prove anything?

 

Urban Meyer Updates

+ Joey Bosa was the player of the game for the defense. J.T. Barrett and Taylor Decker were the players of the game for the offense. Cameron Johnston was the player of the game for the special teams. Champions were Tommy Schutt, Adolphus Washington, Darron Lee and Vonn Bell on defense; and Michael Thomas, Jalin Marshall, Curtis Samuel, Braxton Miller, Pat Elflein, Jacoby Boren, Billy Price, Nick Vannett, Marcus Baugh and Ezekiel Elliott on offense. Cameron Johnston's job is to drop the punt on the 8-yard line, and that's what he did four times.

+ "Great win. Probably our best all around effort."

+ Tommy Schutt is out with wrist surgery for a couple of weeks. He has had a lingering injury, but he wanted to play in the Penn State game before surgery.

+ When Ezekiel Elliott is gone they'll miss the little things he does just as much as his ball carrying.

+ On the quarterback issue, nothing is going to be announced right now. He hasn't yet reviewed everything yet. He may know tomorrow. He was recruiting and practicing all day yesterday.

+ Torrance Gibson is on the team. You have to earn the right to dress and he didn't do that last week. Meyer expects him back soon.

+ They still haven't made a decision on Mike Weber's redshirt. K.J. Hill is the next guy on the list that they are torn on after playing Jerome Baker last week.

+ New Jersey high school football is a lot like Ohio high school football. Good coaches who take the entire scope of being a coach seriously. He loves recruiting New Jersey. "Really good delis out there."

+ Meyer said he thinks he knows who will be starting at quarterback on Saturday. "I have an idea."

+ Asked if he thinks the offense runs better with Barrett in this season he said he thinks it ran better with Barrett on Saturday.

+ Meyer on the quarterback situation: "If there's a change it's always delicate. That one's probably more because of the obvious." "We're going to do what's right for the team first."

+ They were well prepared on offense for Penn State's run defense. They schemed them up well and that was a credit to Ed Warinner.

+ A lot goes into choosing a quarterback, including the spark that they provide when they are in the game.

+ There is a feeling that two quarterbacks makes like more difficult on a defense, but they'll talk about that more this week.

+ On if J.T. Barrett is finding the groove that he had last year, Meyer said he thinks he is seeing that. Plus they are doing a good job of calling what he is good at.

 

Urban Meyer Updates

+ J.T. Barrett will start on Saturday. He has earned the right with his production during games.

+ There are excellent defensive players in the Big Ten, and that leads to good defenses. Also there are good schemes being employed.

+ Joshua Perry is probable this week. Yesterday he was questionable. Tommy Schutt will be replaced by either Donovan Munger or Michael Hill or Joel Hale.

+ Meyer doesn't know what Cardale Jones' role will be moving forward, but he will still be involved. "We'll see how he practices this week."

+ On Rutgers receiver Leonte Caroo: "Oh, he's an NFL player. Tremendous player."

+ Meyer said he would keep it between him and the quarterbacks as to what was said and how they reacted. He's not necessarily at peace with the situation because he has a tremendous amount of respect for both players and there is always going to be disappointment involved with decisions like this.

+ Meyer said it was possible that Barrett didn't have his confidence level where he needed it to early this season, but he's there now.

+ Meyer said it was Barrett's performance and proficiency in the red zone that won him the job and didn't want to get into whether it also had to do with the injuries at receiver making Barrett a better fit for where this offense is right now.

 

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