OSU’s Meyer hasn’t heard from any third uncles

By PAUL GOTHAM

COLUMBUS, OH — To the victors go the spoils. Then there’s the top-ranked Ohio State Buckeyes.

The Buckeyes rolled up 572 yards in 56 plays in the season-opening 42-24 win at Virginia Tech. Ohio State set a school record averaging 10.2 yards per play including 9.7 yards per rush (second-best in school history). Six different players corralled passes.

And all that happened with three of their top five receivers on the bench.

“It’s what you want as a coach,” head coach Urban Meyer said during this week’s Big Ten tele-conference.  “Everybody is going to handle their business in the classroom, on the field. Do everything the right way and you’ll play. If not, you won’t play.”

Two-time Big Ten Offensive Player and Quarterback of the Year, Braxton Miller settled into his new role as hybrid back with three receptions for 79 yards and one touchdown. Curtis Samuel added two grabs for 32 yards including a diving catch in the end zone on the Buckeyes first drive of the game.

“All he does is do everything right,” Meyer said of Samuel. “That guys deserves the ball in his hands. We’re going to make a concerted effort to get that.”

Michael Thomas caught a pair – one for a touchdown while Ezekiel Elliott came out of the back field for two catches. Johnnie Dixon caught one pass as did tight end Nick Vannett.

This happened with Jalin Marshall, Corey Smith and Dontre Wilson on the bench suspended for violating team or athletic department policies. Marshall and Wilson both played H-back last season and were third and fourth leading receivers. Smith was the fifth best for the Buckeyes. All three are expected back in the lineup when Ohio State hosts Hawai’i in the home opener.

With so many capable of making plays and only one ball to go around, does Meyer have to worry about keeping everyone happy?

“Sure that happens,” Meyer commented. “The thing is I don’t feel it yet. I guess the minute I do you got to kinda squash it. That’s not the culture we’re in. If I start having the third uncles calling me that will be a problem, but I don’t anticipate that. I anticipate guys that will work hard and be team first and that’s the culture that’s here right now. We want to maintain that.”

Buckeyes and Rainbow Warriors are scheduled to kick off at 3:30 p.m.

Notes (Courtesy of Ohio State Athletics):

• Ohio State has thrown a TD pass in 24 consecutive games, tied for the longest streak in school history with the 1994-96 Buckeye teams. A touchdown pass against Hawai’i would set the record.
• Saturday will be the first meeting between Ohio State and Hawai’i on the football field.
• Ohio State enters the game having won 14 in a row overall, the longest active streak in the nation.
• Ohio State has won 66 of its last 67 regular-season home games against unranked, non-conference opponents.
• Ohio State has won 35 of its last 36 home openers.
• The Buckeyes are 112-9-4 all-time in home openers since 1890.
• Urban Meyer has the highest winning percentage (.846) among active coaches.
• Ohio State has scored at least three TDs in a nation’s best 30 consecutive games. Baylor is second with 17.
• The Hawai’i Rainbow Warriors, a member of the Mountain West Conference, are coming off a 4-9 season and a 3-5 finish in the MWC in 2014. They are 1-0 on the season after winning their opener, 28-20, vs. Colorado last Saturday.
• In that game, QB Max Wittek passed for 202 yards on 19 of 38 passing with three TDs, including a 79-yard scoring pass to Marcus Kemp, but also threw two INTs. Kemp led the team with six catches for 116 yards and a score while Paul Harris gained 68 yards on 17 carries.
• Defensively, Ryan Moeller recorded six solo tackles and 1.0 TFL. The Rainbow Warriors recorded a total of 5.0 TFL on the day with one sack and two INTs.
• Hawaii is coached by Norm Chow, who is in his fourth season with a record of 9-29. Prior to Hawai’i he was the offensive coordinator at Utah in 2011, UCLA from 2008-10, the Tennessee Titans from 2005-07 and at USC from 2001-04. While at USC, Chow won the Broyles Award as the nation’s top assistant coach in 2002. Prior to USC, he was the OC at N.C. State in 2000 and served as an assistant at BYU from 1976-1999.