Two months ago, Urban Meyer told 10TV in Columbus that he had “never seen anything like” Ohio State’s squad. This week, he reiterated that statement.
In the first episode of “The Triple Option,” a new weekly show that the former Ohio State head coach co-hosts with fellow FOX analysts Mark Ingram II and Rob Stone, Meyer explained that the Buckeyes have possibly the best player selection in college football “in the last decade.”
“I’ve read about them, I’ve watched them. This is maybe the best roster in college football in the last decade,” Meyer said. “As far as NFL talent and depth. They have the second-string running back, whoever it is, he’ll probably be selected in the first round of the draft. I mean, they’re loaded.”
“This could be the best roster in college football in the last decade.” @CoachUrbanMeyer and @MarkIngramII knowledge @OhioStateFB are determined to bring a national title back to Columbus pic.twitter.com/UmVCu9DYgq
— The Triple Option (@3xOptionShow) 21 August 2024
Meyer is concerned about the team because he isn’t sure how well Will Howard will handle the move from Kansas State to Ohio State or what his potential at the position is. But the Buckeyes’ new playmaker will improve his game, Meyer believes.
“You have Will Howard, who’s going to be a big question mark,” Meyer said. “But I think the combination of him and Chip Kelly, the new offensive coordinator, is a natural fit. He’s an athletic quarterback. He’s surprisingly fast. I’m told he ran 22 mph in practice, which is under 4.5 mph (40 yards). That’s fast, fast. And he’s a big guy.”
Another concern Meyer has is whether OSU can keep all of its stars in action when it is expected to sweep its three non-conference opponents, Akron, Western Michigan and Marshall.
“Here’s the challenge,” Meyer said. “How do you keep all the (players) happy? Their schedule is a joke to start with. They’re going to be 50-point favorites in the first three games. They’ve got a week off and then they play Michigan State, which is a shadow of its former self right now. So the starters are probably going to play 30 to 40 plays (per game) in the first month of the season. That means statistically they’re not going to have a lot of catches and the running backs aren’t going to have a lot of runs.
“You don’t let these guys play in the second half of these games and someone gets hurt. So how do you keep the personalities, the NIL, the agents, I guess – that’s a world I don’t know – how do you keep them all happy?”
That seems like a bit of a luxury problem for a team that, at least in Meyer’s opinion, will be the most talented in college football this season.
