Ohio State head coach Urban Meyer sat down for his weekly appearance on his call-in show via the Ohio State IMG Radio Network. Meyer will take some time to preview Saturday’s opponent, but he is also expected to spend some time looking back at some of the 19 departing seniors. We will provide live updates throughout the hour. Refresh for the latest.
+ The Illibuck is the second-oldest trophy in the Big Ten. “It’s one we don’t take lightly. It’s one we have to win. It’s great.”
+ Meyer’s true appreciation for the military he learned at Ohio State. Woody Hayes instilled that and he learned a lot from the way Jim Tressel handled things as well.
+ It’s a great feeling when former players come back. Johnathan Hankins, Joshua Perry, and Craig Fada will be with the team tomorrow for the team dinner. Hankins has a week off and what does he want to do? He wants to come back to Ohio State. It’s always great to see that.
+ Name something else for Tyquan Lewis to do for Ohio State football. “You can’t.” He has done it all. He has been great.
+ What is it going to be like saying goodbye to J.T. Barrett? Meyer knows it’s dramatic, but he equates it to saying goodbye to his daughter when she went away to college. There is a lot of love and respect between the two of them, but there is still plenty of football left. “We’ve got so much to play for.” This is for the players and the fans on Saturday to thank each other.
+ The kickoff coverage the last two weeks has been outstanding, even against the wind. They moved some guys around and brought some new guys in.
+ Meyer is hoping the weather gets out of Columbus because right now it’s going to be windy and rainy.
+ The interior defensive linemen for Illinois can play anywhere in the Big Ten. The rest of the personnel is pretty good. You can tell Lovie Smith is building for the future on offense and defense because they play so many young guys. The defense tries to keep things in front of them.
+ “You’ll never hear us complain about player safety.” Targeting is a good rule. His job isn’t to complain about officiating, so they turn in bad calls to the Big Ten and then move on.
+ The senior walk-ons are treated just like the scholarship players, especially since the NCAA allowed them to be treated better. There are walk-ons on this team more valuable than scholarship players.
+ Meyer can’t imagine somebody coming in and breaking J.T. Barrett’s records, but he’d be the first to tell you that he’s a product of the players around him.
+ The development of J.T. Barrett and Billy Price has been phenomenal. It will be difficult to get up and go to work when you don’t have them to work with anymore. “Because they have set a standard.” Billy Price will be the first to tell you that he’s a product of the standards set by players before him. “Ohio State is such a tradition-rich place that expectations here will never change.”
+ The early signing day hasn’t changed much during the season. They are working just as hard as ever. There is potential that 90-95% of your class could be signed by December, which could make for an anti-climactic February signing day. It will also depend on how many guys leave early for the NFL. It will be intriguing and will impact many schools in many different ways. “I’m not sure it’s good.” Now isn’t the time to have the debate, however, because it’s done. The rule is there.
+ There is so much left with Binjimen Victor. “I have yet to see his ceiling.” He is an elite player who doesn’t play elite all the time. “People are going to remember him around here.”
+ Damon Arnette is getting better and more mature each week. He and Kendall Sheffield “have really improved.”
+ Zach Smith has done a good job recruiting. Meyer is hopeful that all of the WRs come back because if they do, this will be as lethal an offense as they’ve ever had. These WRs were raised the right way. They’re all involved in special teams and they all block. You have to earn your stripes on special teams “and that will never change.” They have walked away from plenty of very talented WR prospects because they knew they wouldn’t be able to adapt to Ohio State’s receiver culture.
+ “Number one at Ohio State you’re going to block or you’re not going to play.” This group of WRs are blocking almost as well as the 2014 group. You can’t have 1,000-yard rushers without great perimeter blocking.
+ J.K. Dobbins is a man’s man. He does everything they ask him to do and he does it full speed.
+ Graduating early for high schoolers is up to the families. OSU will not push them into anything. It’s obviously a great benefit to come in early and it increases your chances of playing early.
+ “We’ve just had really good tailbacks here. Carlos Hyde started the whole thing and Zeke took it to a whole different level.” Running backs see the production and want to be a part of it. Ohio State’s offense doesn’t lend itself to a running back getting blindsided by a defense. It’s a great offense to run in.
+ The depth at RB is very strong right now. They are trying to transition Demario McCall to H-back, and the depth is allowing that — when they are healthy. There are more running backs coming in who will provide instant depth. You always want four running backs, but it’s not always easy to do with injuries and such.
+ It’s a complicated process deciding when to redshirt a player. Meyer believes the rule will be changing soon to where you can play somebody four games at any point in the season and still redshirt them. “I think they’re going to change that rule and they should.”
+ The offensive line is the most improved area on the team. They did a great job against a rugged defensive front. It was a great job of game planning by the entire offensive staff and the execution by the players was tremendous.
+ They’ve expected this kind of performance from Mike Weber coming into the season, but “that injury was devastating.”
+ Demetrius Knox is playing through an injury himself right now since the Iowa game. “He’s been a great story line for us.”
+ Meyer doesn’t know where Billy Price will be drafted, but you have to have a center “and he’d be my No. 1 pick.”
+ The defensive line has played well for most of the year, but the performance against MSU was one of their best of the year. MSU’s offensive line has some young players and it’s tough to be young against Ohio State’s defensive ends.
+ Sacks are like a turnover. It changes the entire drive.
+ The linebacker injuries last week was a stressful situation, but having Chris Worley available helps because he’s able to bounce around from position to position. Then you have Tuf Borland who is so steady and so valuable. It was a fortunate situation to have them ready to step in.