Inside the Ohio State team room Monday at the Woody Hayes Athletic Center, assembled media filled the seats to hear from head coach Urban Meyer on the first game week of the 2015 season. It's the first time Ohio State's head coach has been available since Aug. 22.
The Buckeyes don’t kick off their 2015 season until next Monday night at Virginia Tech — the lone team that beat them last season — but things were kept in line as if they were playing Saturday in an effort to keep things as normal as possible.
Notes:
- Meyer said the plan is to practice at night Monday with a mock game, in order to start getting the team in routine for the Labor Day Night affair.
- Meyer said he doesn’t plan to announce a starting quarterback “until the first guy takes the snap” against Virginia Tech: “Both guys are performing well.”
- As far as game planning goes, Meyer said both J.T. Barrett and Cardale Jones could play against the Hokies. He said the game plan won’t change much depending on who is in the game.
- “I’d probably make the announcement if one was farther ahead, but they’re not.” - Urban Meyer
- Meyer said in the last three days Braxton Miller’s been practicing “extremely well.” Miller is “darned near ready to go,” Meyer said.
- Meyer said the suspensions of the four players “was a speed bump” but since then the work ethic on the practice field and weight room has been “untouchable. They’ve done a great job.”
- Meyer: “How many national champions have a great year after a national championship year? It’s tough, because there’s so many outside influences that can get in your program and cause damage.”
- Meyer said Ohio State plans to start it’s game-planning during game week on Wednesday, which is when he anticipates knowing who the starting quarterback will be for Virginia Tech.
- Meyer said he’s already had some conversations with each quarterback about if they don’t get the nod at starter.
- On Noah Brown, Meyer said surgery was successful and he expects the wide receiver to make a full recovery.
- Depth at wide receiver “is a concern for this game. Talent isn’t,” Meyer said.
- On Johnnie Dixon, Meyer said he’s had a great camp but Ohio State always has to monitor his knees due to the tendinitis: “I expect him to be full-go today.”
- More on Miller, Meyer said the last three days “have been really fluent.” Meyer said he looks like an H-back now and his body is getting more used to running constantly at wide receiver.
- Meyer said there is an additional edge around the WHAC this week because Virginia Tech was the team that beat Ohio State last year: “Because they beat us and the way they beat us.”
- Meyer said every week is a meat-grinder, regardless what conference you’re in and who you play.
- On Barrett getting voted captain working into the QB competition, Meyer: “It’s a factor, but it’s not the factor. The guy who gives us the best chance to move down the field is going to be the guy.”
- Meyer said he hasn't decided yet if he's more open to playing two quarterbacks than he was a few weeks ago: "Whoever gives us the best chance at the moment to move the ball will be in the game."
- Meyer added the quarterback spot could be a weekly competition.
- As far as his mindset goes about deciding a quarterback, Meyer said it's his duty to put the best guy out there to move the ball regardless who it is. It's like that for every position, he said.
