Facing a first-year head coach, particularly one who has never been a head coach at a previous college stop, presents some challenges in preparation for the Buckeyes. The Buckeyes were ill-prepared and exposed against an inferior Virginia Tech team in 2014, as the Hokies’ defense buried the Ohio State offense in a shocking upset in Columbus. While he did much more than anticipated, the fact that he was a full-time starter the entire season before the injury helped him, exclusively due to the fact that he didn’t have to always look over his shoulder or be too cautious while trying to keep from making a mistake. Meyer has coached four FBS programs over the last 15 years, and this will be his first game against a former team.
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Individually, Barrett broke his own Ohio State single-game record by being responsible for seven touchdowns. Headwinds notwithstanding, with Barrett being given the keys to the offense to start spring camp rather than splitting time or being thrown into the fire a week before the season, he has had plenty of time to prepare for this season.
Rookie Nate Sudfeld played the entire game at quarterback for the Redskins, who left Kirk Cousins and the rest of Washington’s projected starters behind in Virginia to attend the team’s Welcome Home Luncheon, an annual event that raises money for a charitable foundation. Ohio State is different, man.
When all of the emotion of the opening game for both teams wears off, which will occur probably as soon as the players take the field, the game still boils down to players. “That’s the attitude we’re going to take from it”.
Coach Urban Meyer loves guys like Burger.
Ohio State: H-back Curtis Samuel. Weber’s touches to start the season should be limited.
“We just have a higher standard than previous year”, Samuel said. We got a pretty good season going, but it didn’t feel like we were doing anything special. “Coaches keep bringing up players from previous year”. It’s important for our young receivers to understand the whole concept of what we are trying to do.
But for Brown, he is just ecstatic to have this opportunity to go out on the field, represent Ohio State and become the impact player he believes he can be.
Junior cornerback Gaeron Conley, linebacker Dante Booker and defensive end Tyquan Lewis will lead the new group of players looking to have an impact on the unit’s efforts. Freshman defensive end Nick Bosa saw some action in the second half and recorded his first career sack.
With Elliott gone to the Dallas Cowboys as a first-round draft pick, Meyer said he’s seeking more balance between the rushing and passing games. Then it’s on to play at Oklahoma the following week. There will also be games on the road against Penn State, Wisconsin and Michigan State, before returning home to host Michigan in the regular season finale.
Meyer sees similarities to the 2014 season when a relatively untested team stumbled early in the season and then finished with a College Football Playoff national championship.
To paraphrase, saying that being average is a bad word. The offensive line moved the pile all game, and that opened it up for the skill players to take over with speed.
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“You look like a fool – like we have before – if you’re not ready for it”, he said. We can’t change our mindset or change who we are.
