B1G Teleconference: Urban Meyer Has Lead Quarterback In Mind, Anticipates Both Will Play This Season

By Tim Shoemaker on September 1, 2015 at 2:40 pm
Urban Meyer on the sidelines.
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Urban Meyer said Monday he would not be publicly naming a starting quarterback prior to Ohio State's season-opener against Virginia Tech, but on Tuesday during the weekly Big Ten coaches teleconference Meyer offered some new light on the most intriguing situation in college football.

"I have an idea of who’s gonna go early, but I’ve also made a decision that when you have good players, you play them," Meyer said. "I would anticipate throughout the course of the year we’ll play both quarterbacks.”

Meyer hinting at the possibility of both Cardale Jones and J.T. Barrett playing this year isn't what's new here — that's been discussed at length. The new information is that Meyer, for the first time, said he has an idea of who he's going to send out there to take the opening snap against the Hokies.

During his press conference Monday, Meyer said he'd like to have that decision made by Wednesday's practice, but it appears he's already made up his mind. The choice still won't likely be revealed publicly, but in-house the Buckeyes will know who their quarterback will be.

Meyer was asked on Tuesday's conference call if the battle between Jones and Barrett was the most difficult he's ever encountered throughout his career. His answer was a little surprising.

"I thought it would be, but it actually has not been," he said.

Ohio State takes on Virginia Tech at Lane Stadium 8 p.m. on Monday on ESPN.

Additional Meyer notes: 

  • Meyer on whether or not he's seen a change in Ezekiel Elliott from one year ago to now. His response: “The best thing about Zeke is he comes from a very grounded family. I have noticed a change, it’s hard not to, but not a negative change. Especially in the way he’s handled himself throughout training camp and getting ready for this game. That’s his best attribute is his work ethic so there was a change but it’s just a typical, maturity change. Also, I’ve witnessed kids, young people, from Cardale Jones to Braxton Miller to J.T. Barrett to Darron Lee, of course they change, but it’s a positive change in Zeke’s case.”
  • Meyer said he can "see the pain that he's not going to be on that plane with his teammates" in regards to Joey Bosa's suspension for the season-opener.
  • Meyer said he agreed to do the BTN's Scarlet and Gray Days series for recruiting purposes and that he's seen the first two episodes. "The Big Ten Network does a great job and I’m glad we did it.”
  • Meyer said he doesn't believe Barrett would have an advantage over Jones when it comes to facing Virginia Tech because he's played against the Hokies before. "I don’t think there’s much of an advantage because it’s a whole different animal.”
  • Meyer said he'd rank his team's level of preparation up for this season-opener right near the top of the list in his coaching career, comparing it to when his Utah team opened up with Texas A&M. "Whenever you play a great team to start the season, your focus is — I know we play Hawaii the second game but our focus has all been on this one.”
  • Meyer offered a ton of praise for Hokies' coach Frank Beamer, calling him "a great friend" and saying Beamer is "great for college football."

The additional 13 league coaches participated on Tuesday's teleconference. Check out what each of them had to say below as college football kicks off Thursday with two huge Big Ten matchups when Michigan travels to Utah and Minnesota hosts No. 2 TCU.

Jim Harbaugh (Michigan): 

Jim Harbaugh at B1G Media Days
  • Harbaugh on the submarine in training camp: "We were just gonna be working so people weren't going to be seeing a lot of us. That would be our attention would be. One week kind of turned into two and nobody really said anything about it so two turned into three. ... It was kinda on the fly."
  • Michigan was one of worst in country in turnover margin last year. Harbaugh: "A big focus is not turning the ball over and we want to get turnovers. That's been detrimental to us in the past."
  • Harbaugh on Michigan's starting quarterback against Utah: "I'm going to refer back to the depth chart on that. I feel like I want both of them to prepare like they're going to be the starter."
  • Harbaugh went on to add that Shane Morris and Jake Rudock have already been told who will be starting against Utah.
  • Harbaugh on all the attention he's garnered since taking over at Michigan: "Our mindset is that we win as a team. There's nobody above the team. No coach, no player. Everybody does a little and it adds up to a lot."

Paul Chryst (Wisconsin): 

  • On Wisconsin running back Corey Clement, Chryst said, "I think he's done everything to this point to prepare himself for this. Having to share in the past with Melvin, now he's the No. 1 back."
  • Chryst was asked about Tim Beckman's firing, but did not offer a comment. 
  • Chryst on Illinois' interim coach Bill Cubit: "I've always had a lot of respect for him. Even if you don't know the guy, you know guys who have worked with him and been on his staffs before and every guy that I know thinks a lot of him."
  • Chryst on Wisconsin's defense: "You've got some guys that have played a lot of football and then a group that now it's their opportunity."
  • Chryst on whether Wisconsin can gain any confidence from Ohio State beating Alabama: "I don't think any of that really carries over to this team. I think it's a new team."

Mike Riley (Nebraska): 

  • On what kind of identity he wants Nebraska to have, Riley said, "I think we're looking for a team that plays hard and disciplined football. The efficiency of the game is so important and then the passion and physical part has to go with it."
  • "We want to show a consistency of teaching, developing and growing players so they always know what to expect."
  • On how he's been received at Nebraska, Riley said, "There's an anxiousness, for sure. I don't know if it's nerves or excitement or all of it put together. If it wasn't like that for me, though, I wouldn't like to coach anymore."

Mark Dantonio (Michigan State): 

Mark Dantonio smiles
  • Dantonio on R.J. Shelton: "He's a phenomenal player, he's got big-play potential, he's made himself into a wide receiver. ... I think the next step is just progress. We just look for more big plays from him."
  • Dantonio on playing Western Michigan on the road to open the season: "It's a little bit unusual, but we made this decision a couple years ago to help the economy in the state of Michigan. ... It helps prepare us for some road games we have later in the season."
  • On Tim Beckman's firing at Illinois, Dantonio said, "Coach Beckman, it's unfortunate. College coaching is a tight rope and it's very difficult. My thoughts are with Coach Beckman and his family and at this point in time I'm not able to comment on the situation there."

Kirk Ferentz (Iowa): 

  • Ferentz on Illinois interim coach Bill Cubit: "Bill did a great job at Western and he's done a super job at Illinois in his time there. Veteran coach, very knowledgeable."
  • "I don't think we have a team that has a superstar-type player, but I think overall we've got a lot of really quality players."
  • Ferentz on Iowa's running game: "My concern was more so, and it was significant back in January, I was concerned with that part of our game, but going back to January I think we've had a real good year."

Jerry Kill (Minnesota):

  • On Minnesota's offensive line: "Four of our five, it'll be the first time that they've started. We haven't decided on (starters), but we've got practice today and we'll see how those things go."
  • Kill on the challenges of facing No. 2-ranked TCU to open the season: "I think probably the best thing for us is to gauge where we're at and what we need to do to get better."
  • Kill on whether or not last year's game against TCU has impacted preparation for this one: "Our kids were embarrassed and they don't want to be embarrassed again."

Kyle Flood (Rutgers): 

  • Flood said Saturday's game against Norfolk State is his first opportunity to open the season at home.
  • Flood said he could not comment on ongoing investigation which he reportedly emailed the professor of a member of his team.
  • Flood said decision whether to play suspended quarterback Chris Laviano in second half or stick with Hayden Rettig will be made at halftime.

Bill Cubit (Illinois): 

  • Cubit: "Unusual set of circumstances that occurred last week, but our kids are excited for the season."
  • Cubit on if he's running things in the program differently than Tim Beckman: "I'm just going to be myself. ... Some things have changed, and I think a lot of things have been welcomed by our players."
  • Cubit on how his players have responded to him as head coach: "They're adjusting really well. You ask them to do anything and they'll try their best to go get the thing done."

Randy Edsall (Maryland): 

  • Edsall on Maryland's season-opener against Richmond: "I want our guys to do their job well. I think if all of our guys do their job well we can win the turnover battle and we don't shoot ourselves in the foot, we'll have a tremendous opportunity to get the win."
  • Edsall on Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh: "Jim is a proven coach. He's got a good track record and you just see what he's done at other places."

Darrell Hazell (Purdue): 

  • "I think we're a much more confident team, we're a much better-looking team, we're faster and I think we're playing at a much higher level in practice than we have the last two years."
  • Hazell on defending Marshall's offense: "It's a little bit of backyard football."
  • Hazell on Purdue's offensive line, which returns all five starters: "I can't tell you how big that's been for us."

James Franklin (Penn State): 

Penn State's James Franklin
  • Franklin on the hiring of Jim Harbaugh at Michigan: "The new personalities in the conference have been great for the conference overall."
  • Franklin on whether or not Penn State's opener against Temple impacts recruiting: "We're looking forward to playing in that part of the state, that part of the country."

Kevin Wilson (Indiana): 

  • Wilson on his 2015 Hoosiers: "We've been a team that has played competitive and had some success, but we've been very, very inconsistent."
  • Wilson said he has no concerns for quarterback Nate Sudfeld coming back off an injury: "He looked pretty good in spring and there wasn't a lot of rust in spring."

Pat Fitzgerald (Northwestern): 

  • Fitzgerald on Northwestern's quarterback battle, which was ultimately won by Clayton Thorson: "It was very close. All three guys had a terrific camp."
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