Ohio State head coach Urban Meyer met with reporters for his weekly Monday press conference. He answered questions about his football team and what they did over the bye week. He also addressed questions about his health and his plans for next season. Questions about the Nebraska game were also asked and answered. Here are the highlights.
+ Binjimen Victor may be the most improved player on the team from the summer until now. He didn’t have a great spring, but has gotten better. Thayer Munford would be another in that category. Defensively, from summer until now, it would probably be Pete Werner.
+ Asked about rumors about a pending retirement after this season, Meyer said he plans on coaching at Ohio State next year.
+ There was a team meeting on Tuesday to clear the air about the bad tastes in their mouths.
+ The challenges posed by the Nebraska offense is similar to watch J.T. Barrett did against defenses. Quarterback Adrian Martinez is difficult to defend.
+ Asked if they have the right leaders in the right positions, Meyer answered, “Sure we do.” They aren’t where they need to be but they’ll get there.
+ He’s not worried about the team having an edge, he just wants to get better each day.
+ Moving Michael Jordan to center has been outstanding at times and other times it has not been great. They were kind of forced into it because of the other options at center. You have to get your five best on the field, so that’s what they had to do.
+ Brady Taylor and Branden Bowen should be practicing today. There is a chance they could play this week. They are day-to-day.
+ Over the bye week they worked on the run game and the red zone. That was basically the full devotion of the offense. On defense it was missed tackles and getting people on the ground when they get in space. Meyer will know more today and tomorrow how effective that focus has been.
+ It’s too late to completely change what they do on offense. It’s a matter of getting players in the right positions, getting more movement, and players being more physical.
+ Asked about his demeanor on the sideline and people trying to decipher his actions, Meyer said he appreciates the concern and he is fine. “I want Ohio State to be successful in the worst way. I don’t want people to worry about me.”
+ Are the games getting to you? “The games have gotten to me for 30 years.”
+ Asked if he could fix something about the running game with a magic wand what would it be, Meyer said it’s too complicated for one answer. Getting running backs in space would be one, but they’ve had trouble doing that.
+ The inability of the quarterback to run the ball is part of why they’ve had trouble running the ball, but they are taking advantage of his abilities in other ways.
+ Nebraska receiver J.D. Spielman is very close to Rondale Moore in skill sets.
+ Does it feel as bad in the WHAC as it feels outside? Meyer said there is urgency and they understand the shortcomings and what is at stake. He hasn’t seen a staff work as hard as they have to fix the issues. “It’s frustrating to not see the rewards.”
+ Meyer doesn’t think the constant losses of underclassmen to the NFL is what is hurting them this year. It’s an issue they have to deal with, but it’s not the most pressing reason for the struggles.