After two months of the season, Ohio State is still undefeated at 8-0 and ranked No. 1 in the country. The Buckeyes are off this Saturday with their bye week before hosting Minnesota on Nov. 7.
Head coach Urban Meyer said recently he's aware of "what's coming down the pipe" at the end of Ohio State's season — games against Michigan State and Michigan before a potential Big Ten championship game — but on Tuesday on the Big Ten coaches weekly teleconference, Meyer admitted his focus during this bye week is not on the stretch run to end the season.
“It’s week-to-week, we don’t even really talk about the stretch run," Meyer said. "That’s good conversation, but not here. We’re day-to-day trying to get better."
Meyer said the No. 1-ranked Buckeyes will practice Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday before getting the weekend off prior to resuming their normal game week routine Sunday.
Staying engaged when there isn't a game to be played, Meyer said, isn't likely to be a problem.
"Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday they’re going to be completely engaged because they’re here," Meyer said. "The weekend, I love when guys go back to their high schools and watch Friday night high school then Saturday spend time with their family because that’s what a bye week is for and we really encourage that’s exactly how to spend your bye weekend not getting yourself into situations."
Additional Meyer notes:
- Meyer said he's had multiple conversations with his team about dealing with the sky high expectations this season, but added, "No one has greater expectations than we do in our locker room."
- Meyer said he's never experienced a bye week being a bad thing for a team, but certainly understands how some teams could feel that way. "I think it comes at a great time,” he said.
- Meyer said the most consistent unit on Ohio State this season has been running back. "From Game 1 to Game 8, he’s been really consistent with and without the ball," Meyer said. He also added the tight ends have played at a fairly consistent level this season.
- Meyer was asked if last Saturday's 49-7 win over Rutgers was Ohio State's most complete game of the season, but said, "I think Penn State might have been."
- Meyer credited defensive line coach Larry Johnson for the improved play of Adolphus Washington, but also said of Washington: "As a freshman and sophomore, he was kind of a good player that just played too many plays and would take a play off. I’ve seen him really go now.”
- Meyer said one of the highlights of his media tour Monday for his new book was meeting Charlie Rose.
The top-ranked Buckeyes have a bye this weekend, along with fellow Big Ten foes Indiana, Northwestern and Michigan State. The league's top matchup features No. 15 Michigan traveling to Minnesota 7 p.m. Saturday.
In addition to Meyer, the Big Ten's additional 13 coaches spoke on their weekly teleconference Tuesday. Below are some highlights.
Pat Fitzgerald (Northwestern):
- Fitzgerald on Northwestern's bye week: "Right now our focus is on getting some recovery; we've been through a gauntlet."
- "We're all-in here at Northwestern trying to compete for championships."
Jim Harbaugh (Michigan):
- Harbaugh asked on challenges of coming off a bye week: "It really comes down to what their intentions are."
- Harbaugh said he was "really impressed, inspired actually" by how Michigan practiced during its bye week.
- Harbaugh on Minnesota coach Jerry Kill: "You see it in all phases in his football team. They play the game like the game is supposed to be played."
- Harbaugh also relived moments from the 1986 Michigan-Minnesota game.
Paul Chryst (Wisconsin):
- Chryst on the number of injuries Wisconsin has suffered: "It's just one of those years, I guess."
- Chryst on status of running back Corey Clement and quarterback Joel Stave, both of whom are questionable for Saturday's game: "We'll see on Corey going through and feel good about Joel."
Mike Riley (Nebraska):
- Riley on bye weeks: "If we could draw it up, we'd take it right in the middle of the year."
- Riley on why Nebraska just can't seem to get over the hump: "I wish I could answer that question in a general way that would sound plausible, but each game has its own story and its own ending. I think we've written scripts in different ways."
Mark Dantonio (Michigan State):
- Dantonio on staying focused throughout the bye weeks: "Our guys are going to be focused. They understand the consequences and the opportunities that lie ahead for them right now."
- Dantonio said his team won't hit in practice this week during Michigan State's bye week.
- Dantonio was asked if he's ever had to put pads away for a week like this before in middle of a season: "Probably not."
Kirk Ferentz (Iowa):
- Ferentz on stats of quarterback C.J. Beathard: "He's dressed like a partial mummy right now, I guess. ... He's significantly better right now than he was at the end of our last game."
Tracy Claeys (Minnesota):
- Claeys joined the conference call instead of head coach Jerry Kill because Kill "had some commitments this morning."
- Claeys on Michigan: "When you take care of the football and move the chains a lot, you play a lot less defensive plays. ... A lot of it is just attitude and getting back to basics."
- Claeys: "Once you personally get your hands on the Little Brown Jug and have it around, it's one of the best traditions in college football."
Kyle Flood (Rutgers):
- Flood on the 49-7 loss to Ohio State: "We're certainly disappointed in our performance last week; we certainly feel we're a better team than we showed Saturday night."
Bill Cubit (Illinois):
- Cubit on Penn State: "They play really hard and they're really well-coached. They're not going to give you much."
- Cubit said running back Josh Ferguson is "very, very doubtful" to play Saturday.
Mike Locksley (Maryland):
- Locksley on Iowa: "We've gotta be able to execute and make good decisions in the run game. We've gotta be really gap sound, do a good job of tackling as their running backs run really hard."
- Locksley on Iowa quarterback C.J. Beathard: "The accuracy part. He has the ability to put the ball in some really tight windows."
Darrell Hazell (Purdue):
- Hazell on bye weeks: "We had to take a step back, take a deep breath and let them decompress. I think our guys came back Sunday ready to go."
- Hazell on Purdue's recent plan to upgrade facilities: "That’s going to enhance our program so much, not only with our current players, but with our future Boilermakers
James Franklin (Penn State):
- Franklin on this weekend's opponent, Illinois: "They're playing well on offense, but I think the area they're playing real well on is defense. They're much bigger and more physical up front than maybe I thought."
Kevin Wilson (Indiana):
- "We started solid, played some good football but not good enough to win some games. We've gotta learn how to close out games."
