Ohio State football: Urban Meyer Buffalo week press conference recap

Before the Ohio State head coach's press conference kicked off, Buckeyes SID Jerry Emig told those in attendance that cell phone service throughout Ohio Stadium should be improved this fall following the installation of multiple antennae. Verizon customers in particular should see the best service.

The football program also declined to release an initial depth chart as is customary Monday due to injuries. Apparently Coach Meyer wanted to meet with the trainers before releasing something formal.

Here were the highlights of Meyer's Buffalo week press conference:

• Urban Meyer says Ohio State, despite typically taking Mondays off, will have a full pads practice today.
• Meyer says the team will vote on captains this afternoon at 2:10 p.m. ET and will announce that tonight.
• Meyer says he's pretty much the same guy he was at Florida. Doesn't know about the evolution of him personally, but said he'd prefer to answer questions about football.
• Meyer says the area the team is still trying to solidify is linebacker just because of the young guys. Singles Grant out as inexperienced. "Quarterbacks, feel good about. Receivers? One of the most improved areas on the team. Running back, feel good about." "I'd like to see how Armani reacts to getting his first college start...Tyvis Powell is getting his first college start."
• "I’m not sure how much of a read offense we’ll be. We might do that throwing more than we did last year…We’re hoping to spread the field"
• Dontre Wilson and Ezekiel Elliott will play Saturday. Joey Bosa for sure will play. Mike Hill, they hope to get in. Says freshman punter Cameron Johnston will obviously play Saturday as well.
• Meyer attributes staff continuity and the offenses and defenses being in a grove as the main reason why historically his teams have had a jump in his second year at a program.
• Meyer says Braxton Miller was by far their best player last year. No one else was even in the same hemisphere.
• On Braxton Miller, Meyer says he doesn't see Braxton Miller leading the team in rushing again. Hopes it doesn't happen.
• Meyer names Philly Brown, Evan Spencer, and Jordan Hall (who he says is playing his best football), and then also again mentions both tight ends.
• Meyer says Dontre Wilson will return the opening kick against Buffalo.
• Meyer says Kyle Dodson, Daryl Baldwin have come on. Also talks highly of Elflein. Baldwin "No maintenance, no nothing...Great representative"
• Meyer calls Jordan Hall the best running back on the team right now.
• Meyer says big games and night games benefit recruiting. Said it’s hard to get recruits to visit for Saturday noon games. Calls the atmosphere at Ohio Stadium during night games "magical".
• On Braxton Miller: "Fundamentally, he's a much different player than he was at this time a year ago." Also describes him as much improved with pocket presence and scrambling.
• "They play an unorthodox defense… The 54-i" Discusses how the positioning of the DTs messes up blocking schemes. "It's a pain in the butt"