Meyer Wants Competition in Spring Practice
For those players that want to see the field for Ohio State this fall, they had better get to work when spring practice gets rolling in Columbus two weeks from now. Actually, they had better hope they’ve already made an good impression during the recently completed winter workouts.
“Sometimes people say, well I’m going to really work hard and go earn a spot in training camp. The spots are done. By the time we’re in training camp, it’s game over. We’re trying to go beat Miama (OH). Sure some things happen to the depth chart, but the two deep will be set after spring practice,” new head coach Urban Meyer said during his spring press conference on Tuesday.
The Buckeyes are coming off a season in which they finished 6-7 season under interim head coach, Luke Fickell, who had the challenging task of coaching a team still dealing with the fallout from former coach Jim Tressel’s dismissal. Meyer has to deal with some of the repurcussions, as well, since Ohio State won’t be eligible for postseason play in 2012 as a result of the sanctions handed down by the NCAA.
Don’t expect that to slow Meyer down in year one, however, as he begins to rebuild the foundation in Columbus. “When you get away from Mommy and Daddy, it’s a tough world out there,” Meyer said. “People who work in corporations who do a really good job have corner offices and trips to Cancun and bonuses. And if not, you don’t. So I think a lot of kids aren’t taught that. So everything we try to do is incentive-based.”
Competition and that incentive based performance were two of the recurring themes throughout Meyer’s spring meeting with the media. If you want a spot, you’re going to have to earn it. When he was asked what gets a guy to the first-team, his response, “The competitive nature of a guy. The guy that refuses to lose, a fighter. A tough guy, a John Simon type kid (OSU defensive end).”
Ohio State will enter the spring session returning 16 starters (7 offense, 9 defense) plus both specialists return, as well. The biggest loss for the Buckeyes from a season ago are on the offensive line where they’ll have to replace center Mike Brewster and tackle Mike Adams.
Meyer wasn’t all that happy with what he saw with some of the offensive lineman when he arrived on campus. That apparently changed during winter workouts. “We had a very good offseason. The team looks a lot different to me, especially the offensive line. I was very disappointed in some body types that were here and a lot of those bodies have changed. Very impressive.”
Another area of importance for the Buckeyes this spring will be continuing to develop backup quarterback, Kenny Guiton, who is the only other returning quarterback on the roster behind starter, Braxton Miller. Meyer said Guiton has had a good offseason and has impressed him of late. ”I wasn’t a big fan of him when I got here. I’m used to guys that act like quarterbacks,” Meyer added.
Ohio State may have been down last season, but after listening to Meyer talk to the press on Tuesday, it’s probably not going too far out on a limb to say the Buckeyes won’t be down for long. Spring practice is set to get rolling on March 28th and will conclude with the spring game on April 21st.
The Buckeyes open the 2012 season on September 1st with four straight nonconference home games before starting Big Ten play with a visit to Michigan State on September 29th.
