COLUMBUS — Ohio State head coach Urban Meyer spoke with reporters following the Buckeyes’ 30-14 win over the Minnesota Golden Gophers Saturday. He provided injury updates, talked about where the Buckeyes need to get better, and the best things he saw on the day. Also speaking with the media were quarterback Dwayne Haskins, linebacker Pete Werner, receiver K.J. Hill, and others. Here are the highlights.
Urban Meyer
+ This team has to get some things fixed. He has learned to enjoy the wins, but they have to get back to work tomorrow.
+ There are certainly concerns with the running game.
+ He was disappointed in the run defense. Giving up 160 yards is not acceptable.
+ When asked about the problems that the team continues to have, he said, “I see the same thing.”
+ Pass defense is not a strength right now.
+ The best thing from the defense today was that they were able to turn the ball over a couple of times.
+ There are five starters on the defensive side of the ball who are hurt right now, which is impacting the defense.
+ Thayer Munford had his ankle rolled and has a hip thing, but Meyer expects he will be okay next week.
+ Meyer said the offensive line wasn’t good today. They gave up three sacks to a team that doesn’t sack the quarterback very often.
+ On K.J. Hill: “He’s been kind of our guy” all year.
+ The running game is discouraging. “It is what it is.” Eventually it will catch up to them.
Dwayne Haskins
+ Minnesota has a Top 25 defense, so they expected difficulty today.
+ The offense shot itself in the foot at times in this one with penalties and personnel issues.
+ Haskins was mad at K.J. Hill’s one-handed catch at first because Hill was supposed to get his head around sooner and they had worked on that play in practice.
+ The offense wanted to finish more drives. You always want to score more. He’s not frustrated, but they have higher expectations than this.
Pete Werner
+ Minnesota had success with the slants because they were run-pass options designed to take advantage of what the linebacker was doing. If the linebacker came after the run, they would throw the slant. If the linebacker stayed in pass coverage, they would hand the ball off.
K.J. Hill
+ This was probably his best game, but he’s not sure if the one-handed grab was his best catch. He also liked the one he had against Penn State.
Alex Grinch
+ Yes, there are players injured and they are relying on youth, but the season isn’t going to stop and wait for them. It’s always a work in progress, but they have to get settled and perform better.
+ They are disappointed as a coaching staff not to be meeting Ohio State’s standards. Players and coaches are both disappointed.
+ “Patience is running thin for us as coaches.”
So I have this dichotomy fighting in my head right now.
Haven’t we watched the SEC for years say they were the best conference top to bottom? Hasn’t the B1G been chasing that, basically demanding that teams get better at the bottom of the ladder? I mean each team in the B1G makes enough on shared revenue that all teams should be competitive now days…
So why is that we get mad and upset when our team goes out there and plays against better competition and doesn’t blow a team out like they normally would 5-10 years ago? Indiana and Minnesota have clearly gotten better over the years… they aren’t great programs but they are good programs.
Why are all of our thoughts and comments about how badly we played, instead of how well they prepared to play us and executed their game plan? Is it the fear that these teams aren’t any good, thus we should just destroy them and since we are not… we probably aren’t that good?
I subscribe to the thought that “Iron Sharpens Iron”, so the more tough games you win, the tougher you get. So I am hopeful that the struggle we see right now is other teams getting better and by doing so making us better.
Go Bucks!
What is really frustrating for fans is that we heard many of the same coaches’ comments about the defense after the Indiana game. Nothing seemed to change for the better this week.
How many times do we have to watch a linebacker vacate the gap the running back chooses ?? I saw Pete Werner & Baron Browning move to his right for no apparent reason on several occasions giving the running back a clear lane . SMH
Here’s how to fix this. Lure Ed Warriner back to coach the offensive line. When Chris Ash is let go by Rutgers, bring him back as a defensive coordinator.
For right now, put both Weber and Dobbins in the backfield. It would drive defenses nuts trying to figure out who would get the ball!
Haskins runs like a scarecrow.
The LBs are trash and Urban doesn’t have a Zach Boren on the roster to bail out the Buckeyes this year.
Patience is running thin for us as well…either fix it or get the hell out of the way , and let someone else fix it….its not that difficult to make the adjustments. It starts with the base alignment, and players being told to do their individual assignments, and don’t stray from that….its about discipline. We also don’t swarm to the ball..The linebackers are getting sucked in the majority of the time , then can’t react back fast enough….they are reading incorrectly almost every time…It is outright embarrassing right now and i am ashamed of how soft we are…This is not even close to a Championship team right now. Our only saving grace is everyone but Bama is also having issues.If we play like this against Purdue next weak, we will lose. Purdue is much more complete than our last 2 opponents. If not for Haskins and receivers, this team has 3 losses already
Okay, I had to chime in on the new guy, Grinch. “Patience is running thin for us as coaches”? Really? Take a good, long look in the mirror there, pal.