LOS ANGELES — Ohio State head coach Urban Meyer and Washington head coach Chris Petersen held a joint press conference to preview Tuesday’s Rose Bowl. Both coaches answered questions about their upcoming matchup against each other, and Meyer also answered plenty of questions about his final game as the Buckeyes’ head coach.
+ Meyer is honored to be here representing the Big Ten. He and Chris Petersen have been friends for a long time. Meyer told the story of watching Petersen’s Boise State team beat Oklahoma and his wife Shelley punching him in the arm asking why he can’t be creative like Petersen.
+ Petersen opened by saying his program and fans have had a longing to get back to the Rose Bowl.
+ Petersen and Meyer have shared many notes. Washington is honored to be here. “It hasn’t been easy, but it never is.”
+ Meyer said the best part of a bowl experience is winning the bowl, so he’s not worried about this being his final go-round. It’s a bucket list item, but right now the most important thing is to win the game. He’s not trying to distract his team.
+ “Nervous” isn’t a strong enough term for Meyer’s feelings before games. “Deathly ill” would be more fitting. Petersen nodded and laughed in agreement.
+ Meyer asked to be allowed into the Rose Bowl years ago while out recruiting. He was told to leave. “The guy was really rude too.” He got to get inside yesterday finally.
+ The transition from Meyer to Ryan Day “couldn’t have been better.” The recruiting class didn’t have the numbers that they normally have room for, but the quality is there. It’s every coach’s dream to be able to hand off the team to somebody who can make it stronger and not force a bunch of people to lose their jobs. Day has been awesome and “I can’t wait to see what he does.”
+ Meyer said players sitting out the bowl games is a touchy situation. Every situation is different. “I try to avoid that.” He doesn’t want to give a public opinion. He would rather give advice than an opinion.
+ You never get used to the deathly ill feeling before games but he will miss the players.
+ Rivalry games mean the world to Ohio State. “We work that game 365.” He has done that since he was at Bowling Green. They have been working on Michigan even at the Rose Bowl.
+ Both coaches were asked about trick plays, specifically Meyer was asked how to deal with Washington’s trick plays, and then Petersen was asked if they had any prepared. Meyer replied, “I’ll let Chris answer first.” To which Petersen smiled and replied. “No.” Meyer then said they have to be ready for those kinds of plays.
+ Meyer has asked his players to “shut it down” regarding friends, families, NFL, so Meyer doesn’t want to answer questions about his legacy or how he wants to be remembered. He has asked his players to shut it down, so he needs to do the same thing about outside things.
+ Petersen said it can be difficult to manage everything going on around a bowl game when families and friends show up. By that point you just want to go and play the game.
+ Asked how they have been so successful in the careers, Petersen said there’s hard work involved, luck, support. “You have to have a bunch of people around you who are trying to make this thing as successful as you are.”
+ Asked for the state of the Pac 12, Petersen said, “I don’t know.” Conferences are cyclical, but the coaches don’t think that much about it. They’re too busy with their own teams.
+ Meyer has strong opinions about the college football playoffs, but he hasn’t done enough research to be too outspoken about it. “It’s very simple, if you want to get to the playoff, don’t lose a game.” There are other things like scheduling which makes things different for other conferences. “I have very strong opinions.” Meyer would like them to review their principles on what it takes to get in. Petersen: “I agree.” Petersen goes back to Boise State where they had to be undefeated to get where they could. “It’s hard to win all your games, it really is.”
+ Meyer’s favorite moment this year was the Michigan game this past season.
+ Meyer and Ryan Day have spoken about what the weaknesses of the program has been and why they have “failed” to reach the playoffs. Regarding the playoffs every year, “We should be there.”
+ Left tackle Thayer Munford is a game-time decision
+ Meyer said “absolutely” he is happy with where Ohio State has gone under his watch, but doesn’t want to reflect on it right now. He has loved Ohio State for as long back as he can remember, but they worked as hard as they could to be successful.
My biggest concern for the game are the 40 mph Santa Ana winds,that are in the forcast for Pasadena tomorrow. I had hoped to see haskins throw in perfect conditions so he could top 5000 yards and 50 tds with osu rolling to a,big win. Now the game will be a closer grind it out affair.