In the wake of a 34-17 win over the Naval Academy, Urban Meyer spoke to the media Monday at the Woody Hayes Athletic Center to discuss the week that was, look ahead to next Saturday night's challenge against Virginia Tech, and assess the state of the football team:
--Meyer described the atmosphere at Baltimore's M&T Bank Stadium as "a home game" and reiterated that Navy was the most talented service academy team he's ever faced
--Echoing Saturday's post game press conference, Meyer called J.T. Barrett "OK"
--Meyer said last week's first half offensive showing was "poor". "The good thing is that when we did punt, we dropped it on the minus-one yard line."
--He described the chemistry on the team as being "very good". "[Coach Fickell and Coach Ash] made a comment to me that it's the best they've seen in the last few years."
--He did reemphasize that the defense gave up far too many yards shortly thereafter.
--This week's champions on defense were Darron Lee, Tyvis Powell, and Doran Grant, who graded out at 100% (ed. note: Powell comes as a bit of a surprise as it seem he took interesting angles much of the game)
--Devin Smith, Evan Spencer Dontre Wilson, Jeff Heuerman, Nick Vannett, Taylor Decker, Daryl Baldwin, and Ezekiel Elliott were the champions on offense. Meyer said Elliott was the player of the game.
--"Night game, Ohio State style. We're very excited about it"
--Meyer said that tight end Marcus Baugh is suspended once again, this time for "stuff" (ed.: likely just related to this previous offseason's improprieties). Meyer said he's suspended through the Virginia Tech game.
--Meyer jokingly praised the pass defense, "I think we're ranked pretty high in pass defense." "We have to shift gears," he said about Virginia Tech, somewhat stumbling over his words and saying a word that sounded like 'shift' that made the press in attendance chuckle.
--Regarding losing Braxton, "To say we'll be fine, someone else has to pick that up. We have to have about a hundred plus yards of offense; we didn't have that Saturday." Meyer was "not surprised at all" by Barrett's performance against Navy, however. "If you take away the interception, I think he did very well." Meyer also called Barrett a "cognitive quarterback."
--"Joey Bosa didn't come to Ohio State to squeeze down blocks and keep people off his ankles. That's what he had to do last week. He came to rush the quarterback," Meyer said of the style change between Navy and Virginia Tech
--"Concern No. 1 is offensive line. We're facing what could be one of the top two defensive lines we face all year. Our offensive line did not play like an Ohio State offensive line." "The second half we played pretty good, but pretty good is not what we expect... We have to get better fast on the offensive line."
--Meyer attributed Darron Lee's rise as "a product of offseason program; mat drills, all the different ways we try to develop some toughness around here." "He's been practicing like that since spring ball."
--In terms of the evolution of the size of quarterbacks (given that Barrett and Virginia Tech quarterback Michael Brewer are not protoypical quarterbacks size-wise) "I think space has made it a little bit easier... We had Chris Leak who was an undersized quarterback... I think mobility has now taken over the 6'4, 6'5 guy that can't run."
--"I have so much respect for him," Urban Meyer said of Frank Beamer. Meyer said at Notre Dame they patterned their special teams after what Virginia Tech did "for so many years." "I studied them in person and I studied them from afar." "He set a standard as to how they won games." "He's obviously a legend."