OSU Buckeyes

With spring in the books for more than a month, the long march through the offseason and back to football is only beginning. But BuckeyeNation is going to keep doing its part to speed up the journey -- or at least make it more interesting. This week, that means a bunch of countdown lists, picking up today with a look at a handful of incoming freshmen who could contribute right away for Ohio State.

Ranking potential impact freshmen

1. DB Vonn Bell: The Buckeyes don't exactly need a safety to come in and play extensively right off the bat thanks to the veteran presence of senior starters C.J. Barnett and Christian Bryant, and they even have a senior in Corey "Pittsburgh" Brown with the talent and experience needed to play a valuable role in reserve. But the late addition of Bell, thanks to the tireless recruiting of safeties coach Everett Withers, does give the Buckeyes an elite athlete who could crack the rotation in the nickel and dime packages right away. And with Ohio State likely playing extensively in formations with extra defensive backs, Bell could be seeing a lot of action quickly.

2. ATH Dontre Wilson: The spread attack operated just fine a year ago even without Urban Meyer having a dynamic skill-position guy capable of playing his vaunted H-back position. Heading into his second year with the program, Meyer worked overtime to find a versatile rusher/receiver to take the offense to another level, and Wilson is at the top of the list because of a combination of speed and ability to make defenders miss in space. The Buckeyes already have enough options on hand to be even more explosive than they were a year ago, but Wilson figures to supply one more element of danger if his transition to the Big Ten matches his fast times on the track.

3. LB Trey Johnson: His position is among the toughest on the field to play right away, but Johnson is walking into a situation where the Buckeyes are still low on depth and could need him to fill out the rotation after just one training camp. Natural instincts and a seemingly advanced knowledge of the game could give Johnson a head start as he tries to give the Buckeyes another candidate for work at the second level, and he should have plenty of chances to show what he can do on the practice field in August. If Johnson can market himself as an option either in the middle or at strong-side linebacker at 6-foot-2 and 220 pounds, his odds of making a mark will only get better.

4. WR Jalin Marshall: Another weapon in the open field with a high motor and elusiveness, Marshall will be on the working list of options at H-back along with Wilson. But he could also find some work soon after showing up on campus as a target in the passing game, and the path to the field might be a bit more clear at wide receiver with a relatively thin position group on hand coming out of spring for the Buckeyes. Philly Brown and Devin Smith are the clear starters again after productive seasons a year ago, but there aren't a lot of bodies behind them. If Marshall can absorb his responsibilities on the perimeter and master a handful of routes in a hurry, he could find the ball in his hands with a chance to inflict some pain on defenses.

5. DT Joey Bosa: The Buckeyes landed the elite pass-rushers they needed in Meyer's first class. The second addressed restocking the cupboard on the interior of the defensive line, and the four-star defensive tackle from Florida should help fill that void after Johnathan Hankins left early for the NFL draft and Garrett Goebel graduated. The Buckeyes have some veterans returning who have solid claims to the starting jobs and rising sophomore Tommy Schutt will be a factor inside as well after shaking off some injuries from spring practice. But they could certainly use some fresh blood to bolster the two-deep. Bosa's aggressiveness and violent first step might vault him into that mix sooner rather than later.

2012 record: 12-0

2012 conference record: 8-0 (first, Leaders Division)

Returning starters: Offense: 9; defense: 4; kicker/punter: 1

Top returners: QB Braxton Miller, RB Carlos Hyde, WR Philly Brown, LT Jack Mewhort, C Corey Linsley, CB Bradley Roby, SAF Christian Bryant, SAF C.J. Barnett, LB Ryan Shazier

Key losses: RT Reid Fragel, WR Jake Stoneburner, DE John Simon, DE Nathan Williams, DT Johnathan Hankins, DT Garrett Goebel, FB/LB Zach Boren, LB Etienne Sabino, CB Travis Howard

2012 statistical leaders (*returners)

Rushing: Miller* (1,271 yards, 13 TDs)

Passing: Miller* (2,039 yards, 15 TDs, 6 INTs)

Receiving: Brown* (60 catches, 669 yards, 3 TDs)

Tackles: Shazier* (115)

Sacks: Simon (9)

Interceptions: Howard (4)

Spring answers:

1. End game: The Buckeyes have to replace all four starters up front, and while the defensive line isn't quite as deep and is far from a finished product, the future looks pretty bright on the edge. Sophomores Noah Spence and Adolphus Washington were among the top prizes in Urban Meyer's first recruiting class with the Buckeyes, and that talent is already starting to shine through as they slide into first-team roles heading into the fall. Spence is a dynamic force with his ability to use speed to get to the quarterback, and Washington isn't exactly sluggish despite all the strength in his 293-pound frame. The two combined for seven sacks in the spring game, and the Buckeyes are expecting similar performances when it actually counts.

2. Air it out: Miller has proven what he can do with his legs, and Ohio State didn't really need to see him show them off in the spring. The emphasis was on continuing to develop the junior quarterback as a passer, which meant a heavy dose of play calls forcing him to put the ball in the air and a quick whistle if he tried to scramble. The results for Meyer were encouraging. His efficient, 16-for-25, 217-yard performance in the spring game showed a much more accurate delivery and better decision-making that hints at bigger things from the fifth-place finisher in last year's Heisman Trophy race.

3. Backfield stable: One thing that might keep Hyde from giving Meyer a 1,000-yard running back this season is all the teammates fighting to snag a few of his carries. The rising senior is the clear cut No. 1 to partner with Miller in the backfield, and Hyde didn't have to earn that job in the spring after piling up touchdowns last fall and finally tapping into his enormous potential as a rusher. But while he was watching some reps, Rod Smith, Bri'onte Dunn and Warren Ball all showed their upside this spring, which has the Buckeyes even toying with a diamond formation that gets three tailbacks on the field at the same time.

Fall questions

1. Filling out the front seven: Shazier is certainly a fine place for any defense to start, but the Buckeyes would obviously prefer if there were at least one other returning starter joining him in the front seven. There are high hopes again for junior Curtis Grant at middle linebacker, but he's been tabbed as a first-team guy before coming out of spring only to fizzle in the fall. Ohio State will need Grant and sophomore Joshua Perry to help lead the charge as it tries to add depth and talent at linebacker to stabilize a defense that will feature a lot of new faces.

2. Fresh blood: There wasn't a great option to fill Meyer's vaunted H-back position last fall, so the Buckeyes effectively had to put the hybrid spot, made famous by Percy Harvin at Florida, on the shelf. Jordan Hall's return from injury makes him a candidate to diversify the offense, but a handful of recruits the Buckeyes landed in Meyer's second class would could really take the spread to another level. Speed-burners such as Dontre Wilson or Jalin Marshall will be watched closely in August as they could become factors for the Buckeyes as early as September.

3. Something special: If the Buckeyes score as easily and often as it appears they might, maybe it won't matter who handles the kicking game. But Meyer has always taken pride in his special teams, and at this point there is still some uncertainty as Drew Basil is pressed into action as both a kicker and a punter. In the big picture, the changes on defense are far more critical -- but close games usually pop up along the way for teams trying to win a championship, and Basil might need to pass some tests for the Buckeyes.

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Just about every preseason story on Ohio State will mention the youth of the defense. Head coach Urban Meyer has said on more than one occasion that the Buckeyes have "a leadership void" they must fill.

Well, it makes sense to look first to the back end of the defense for those answers. One place where Ohio State has plenty of experience is at safety, where seniors Christian Bryant and C.J. Barnett are both third-year starters. The secondary also boasts an All-American in Bradley Roby, who's never been afraid to speak his mind.

"I think it's important that me, Christian and Roby take ownership of the defense," Barnett told ESPN.com. "We've got a lot of young guys who look up to us."

Defensive leaders more often are found closer to the line of scrimmage, as those guys are involved in more plays and gain respect for their physicality. But Ohio State is replacing all four defensive linemen from last year and has only one holdover starter -- Ryan Shazier -- at linebacker.

"It's probably a little harder to lead at that [safety] position," said Everett Withers, who coaches the Buckeyes' safeties in addition to serving as assistant head coach and co-defensive coordinator. "But C.J. and Christian have played a lot of snaps, and the front guys and the linebackers all respect those guys for what they've done here. When you have respect from your peers, that makes it a little bit easier."

That's not to say that Bryant and Barnett are satisfied with their accomplishments.

Though they've both played a lot for the Buckeyes -- and Bryant was a second-team All-Big Ten performer last year -- Barnett said the safeties have "underachieved" thus far during their careers. That's a message that seems filtered down from their coaches, who are demanding more.

"He's right on point; I think they have underachieved," Withers said. "No disrespect to what's been done in the past, but when you play safety at a place like Ohio State, you've got a great tradition of safety play. And when guys don't have a ton of production going into their senior year you wonder why. And I've wondered why since I've gotten here. So there's been a big push for us to see how we can be more productive on the field, and in turn, that will allow us to be better leaders off the field."

Though Bryant finished second on the team with 70 tackles, he has only one career interception. Barnett has four career picks in 32 games. Ohio State led the Big Ten last year in interceptions with 14 in 12 games, but Withers called that "a low number" and said the Buckeyes dropped another 14 potential interceptions.

That's why, during spring practice, every Buckeyes defensive back had to drop and do pushups if a ball hit their hands and they didn't make the interception, no matter how tough the catch would have been.

"Myself, I had about six or seven drops last year," Barnett said. "That's unacceptable. Coach said that PBU's [pass break-ups] are not acceptable here. We need interceptions.

"That's huge for field position, and when you've got an offense like we do and you can get the ball back in Braxton [Miller]'s hands, that's leading to points for us. Missing those opportunities are huge and could possibly cost us a game."

Production wasn't really an issue in 2012 for Roby, although he'd like to grab more than two interceptions this season. But Roby didn't view himself as a leader last season. This year, Meyer said, "he's got to be" one.

"I was kind of a selfish player last year, only worrying about me," Roby said. "At cornerback, you really are out there on an island, and so you start thinking the game is only you and the receiver. I was taking that viewpoint. But I'm opening it up now, and I know I've got to talk to the D-linemen, the linebackers and everybody and make sure they know what they're doing, because they might not be as far advanced as I am."

The best players often make the best leaders. And with their experience and talent, the Buckeyes' secondary has a chance to be both of those things.

"It's just a matter of us going out there and making the plays we need to make," Barnett said. "If we handle our business, we'll definitely be in the conversation of being the best secondary in the nation."

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Braxton Miller collected his Big Ten offensive player of the year trophy in Indianapolis on the day of the league championship game last December. Since he took part in a halftime ceremony, Miller stuck around to watch Wisconsin whip Nebraska, 70-31, to clinch a Rose Bowl berth.

Of course, the Ohio State quarterback couldn't help but think about how his team had beaten both Big Ten title game participants.

"I got kind of upset watching it, because it was a different type of game than what I was expecting," Miller told ESPN.com. "I thought it would have been a different type of story if we were there."

Linebacker Ryan Shazier, like a lot of other Buckeyes, had similar feelings as he watched the BCS championship game between Notre Dame and Alabama about a month later.

"To be honest, I was feeling sick," Shazier said. "Because I felt like we had a great team and we should have been in the game. I feel like if everybody who had to watch that game can keep that in their head this year, it's going to push us to another level."

Ohio State completed just the sixth undefeated season in school history in 2012, and there are reminders all around the team's football complex about the achievement. There's a huge "Undefeated" sign in the main entrance, a banner for the 2012 season hanging in the indoor practice facility next to ones celebrating national championships, and signs proclaiming Lane Avenue near campus as "12-0" row. Players and coaches from last year's team received rings fit for a champion last week.

Of course, the Buckeyes couldn't play for a Big Ten championship or go to a bowl because of NCAA probation. And they say that's a big reason why they're not dwelling on their accomplishments but rather looking forward this offseason.

"Yeah, we went 12-0, but it didn't really mean much," receiver Corey "Philly" Brown said. "It's not like we won anything. I feel like none of our team got a taste of what it feels like to be playing for a national championship. That makes us more hungry to get there."

Along with the reminders of last year, head coach Urban Meyer had another banner put up in the football complex this spring with the slogan "The Chase." That was his not-so subtle message to the players to keep striving toward new goals. But Meyer said he hasn't noticed any sense of complacency with this group.

"I've watched for that," he said. "I've had our strength coach [Mickey Marotti] watch for that. I don't feel it. If I did, I'd jump in the middle of it."

Meyer's biggest concern this spring has been identifying new leaders. Outside of left tackle Jack Mewhort, he wasn't sure which players would fill the shoes of seniors like John Simon and Zach Boren from last year. He has brought in weekly guest speakers to talk to the team this spring about leadership, and he's hoping guys like Miller, Shazier, Brown and defensive backs C.J. Barnett, Christian Bryant and Bradley Roby take on those roles. Of course, Meyer had similar worries about last year's team at this time, and it ended up having what he calls one of the best group of leaders he's ever coached. So that figures to work itself out.

The young front seven on defense also presents question marks, as Shazier is the only returning starter among the defensive line and linebacker units. But sophomores Adolphus Washington and Noah Spence showed with their combined seven sacks in the spring game that Ohio State is blessed with talented options up front, even if there might be a learning curve at work.

"We're going to have to live with some mistakes," defensive coordinator Luke Fickell said. "But our job as coaches is to say, 'Hey, what can they handle?'"

Will these Buckeyes be able to handle the increased expectations and pressure in 2013? Last year, they began the year ranked No. 18 in the Associated Press poll and weren't eligible to receive votes in the coaches' rankings. Even as they continued to win, they mostly operated outside of the limelight because of their absence from the national title hunt. This year, the spotlight will be on them from Day 1, as they should open the season in the top 5.

"We're definitely going to be a huge target," running back Carlos Hyde said. "We're back to where Ohio State usually is, which is the No. 1 team on the schedule that teams want to beat. It lets us know that we just can't come out and roll our helmets out and expect to beat a team."

The target is larger, but so too is the goal. The shackles of probation are off, and if Ohio State can pull off a repeat undefeated season, odds are its players won't be watching the national championship game from afar next January. Roby, the team's All-American cornerback, is confident that will happen. He says that "last year was the commercial, and this year is the movie."

"We've got the talent, and I'm not going to say the schedule is easier, but we don't play Nebraska and we don't play Michigan State," he said. "It's set up in our favor. All we have to do is go out there and keep grinding."

Ohio State safety C.J. Barnett talks about the Buckeyes' experience in the secondary and their motivation for 2013.

With national signing day in the books, the next big date on the Ohio State calendar as it continues working toward an encore for an undefeated season in 2013 is spring practice. Before those workouts begin, BuckeyeNation will take a look at each position to see where the roster is at -- and where it's going.

SAFETIES

• Who's back: The Buckeyes will lead from the back, with both experience and leadership expected to provide a trickle-down effect for the defense with Christian Bryant and C.J. Barnett returning for one more season together as the starting tandem at safety. Ohio State even has a veteran waiting in line to come off the bench and potentially help in the nickel package with senior Corey Brown providing yet another old hand as the program reloads in front of the secondary. There will be six new starters in the front seven and one more at cornerback, but the Buckeyes are as stable as they possibly could be at the back of the defense with Bryant and Barnett poised to close their careers on a high note.
• New face: The huge target the Buckeyes officially landed on national signing day won't be around to add depth or potentially crack into the rotation until fall practice, though there's already plenty of buzz building about what Vonn Bell could provide in the secondary when he arrives. The athletic, 6-foot-1, 190-pounder should be walking into a situation without the pressure that can come from having to contribute a whole lot right away thanks to the presence of those talented seniors -- though coach Urban Meyer will likely be counting on them to get Bell up to speed as well.
• Projected spring depth chart: Bryant and Barnett will be back in their familiar spots, with Brown currently the favorite to be the first man up in the nickel package and a valuable option in reserve. The Buckeyes were bitterly disappointed to watch rising sophomore Devan Bogard's first season with the program end with a knee injury last fall, but he figures to be in the mix for work at some point, and classmates Tyvis Powell and Najee Murray could offer something as well.
• Numbers game: Barnett was slowed by a nagging ankle injury for part of the season, but when he and Bryant were on the field together, the production was hard to miss. The two combined for 127 tackles, three takedowns for a loss, three interceptions, 21 passes defended, two forced fumbles and a fumble recovery. Barnett missed three games and took some time to shake the rust off after that as well, but there's plenty of evidence of how effective those two safeties can be in the back end.
• One to watch: The clock is ticking for Brown, and there will be more competition for his job heading into fall camp,with Bell leading the charge. The Buckeyes already have some sophomores on campus capable of pushing the veteran for playing time, and Brown will certainly need to make an impression with his existing knowledge of the defense and a higher level of consistency than he's shown in his few opportunities to contribute over the last couple years. Departed senior Orhian Johnson proved how important it was to have a reliable upperclassman ready to complement Bryant and Barnett, and co-defensive coordinator and safeties coach Everett Withers will be watching closely to see if he's got another one he can count on when the season rolls around.
• He said it: "I've been doing this a long time, but this group with the young men that are [already] here in [cornerbacks] Eli Apple and Cam Burrows and the guys we just added to that group -- if the development goes as we think it will go, we feel like this is a very talented group which should be able to help Ohio State do special things." -- Withers on signing day

With national signing day in the books, the next big date on the Ohio State calendar as it continues working toward an encore for an undefeated season in 2013 is spring practice. Before those workouts begin, BuckeyeNation will take a look at each position to see where the roster is at -- and where it's going.

CORNERBACKS

[+] Enlarge
Kirk Irwin/Getty ImagesBradley Roby will return as one of the top corners in the nation.
• Who's back: Bradley Roby took his time weighing his options, so Ohio State had no choice but to wait and see if it was replacing both members of a talented twosome or just half of it. Eventually it got the good news it had been hoping for and largely expecting, with Roby ultimately deciding to stick around and build on a banner season as a redshirt sophomore. With or without him heading into 2013, the Buckeyes had been loading up on the recruiting trail and signed what appears to be the best crop of defensive backs in the country, and with Travis Howard moving on to the next level, they could see some action opposite Roby pretty quickly. But there is one other returner who could block the path to the starting lineup after Doran Grant impressed when called upon last fall and could be even better heading into his junior campaign.
• New faces: The Buckeyes will no shortage of talented cover guys to sort through in the freshman class, and two of them are already on campus to give the coaching staff an advance look at what they can do. Eli Apple was the crown jewel in RecruitingNation's third-rated classl, and he could make himself a factor for playing time right away thanks to the extra reps and head start he'll be afforded in spring practice. The same is true for Cam Burrows, the ninth-ranked cornerback in the nation coming out of high school and another option who could potentially fill a short-term and long-term void for the Buckeyes.
• Projected spring depth chart: Roby is locked in at one cornerback spot, and Grant should have the edge when the Buckeyes report to work next week thanks to his experience and knowledge of the defense. But Apple and Burrows have the physical tools to push for first-team reps, and rising sophomore Armani Reeves also caught the eye of the coaching staff last fall with his contributions on special teams.
• Numbers game: No secondary in the Big Ten was more opportunistic than Ohio State's, which tied for the conference lead with 14 interceptions and made quarterbacks think twice about testing its defensive backs all year long. But half of those picks belonged to players who won't be back this spring, led by Howard and his conference-leading four interceptions and two more from safety Orhian Johnson. If Roby is able to turn a handful of his head-turning 17 passes broken up into interceptions, though, the Buckeyes could offset those losses somewhat easily.

(Read full post)

Everybody is chasing the elite recruits, and championships aren't usually won unless there's a pretty impressive constellation of four- and five-star athletes on a roster.

But those guys also aren't typically solely responsible for taking a program to the next level, and it can often come down to which coaching staffs properly identify and develop the players without as much buzz coming out of high school -- or the ones intent on proving those doubts wrong at the next level.

BuckeyeNation will look at five of those players on the Ohio State roster that will be key to making a title run, all of them capable of outplaying that three-star label.

No. 4: Christian Bryant

• Who: The senior safety has drawn plenty of attention for some untimely penalties and a competitive streak that he doesn't exactly hide, and that at times might overshadow the rest of his work in the secondary -- but it really shouldn't. Bryant might not be perfect on every snap or after the whistle, but he was one of the most consistent contributors all season long defensively on the way to a perfect record and has the resume to prove it heading into his last year with the program. Despite his affinity for making some noise on the field, he somewhat quietly posted the second-highest total of tackles for the Buckeyes and was also topped only by cornerback Bradley Roby in passes defended. Bryant also had a knack for creating big plays, forcing two fumbles, recovering another and also adding an interception during a campaign that sets the stage for what could be a huge senior season.
• Then: There was more than enough talent on display at Glenville High School in Cleveland to make it clear Bryant could be a factor at the next level, but there were some questions about exactly how he would do it. He did some encouraging things against the pass, but he perhaps didn't have the kind of blazing speed needed to play man coverage against wide receivers all game long. Bryant brought a nasty streak when coming to support against the run and has always been able to deliver a knockout punch, but there were still a few doubts about his size at 5-foot-10, 175 pounds. The minor concerns may have kept him from potentially receiving a four-star grade, but those issues have certainly been erased as he prepares for another run as a key piece in the Ohio State starting lineup.

(Read full post)

The work for the 2013 season is already underway for Ohio State with the strength program in full swing, but the first moves that started shaping the potential encore effort from a perfect campaign began almost two months ago. BuckeyeNation is counting down the five biggest early developments for the team since last season ended and how they will impact the Buckeyes moving forward.

No. 2: Bradley Roby decides to stick around

• Development: The combination of a previous redshirt season and a breakout campaign as a sophomore gave Roby something to think about. After more than a month of deliberations, the rising star at cornerback eventually decided that a chance to compete for a championship and boost his stock even more was enough to put his professional dreams on hold for another year. The lightning-fast playmaker had started thinking about parlaying his huge season and the ability to declare for the draft after spending three years with Ohio State into a potential move even before the program had clinched a perfect record, having conversations with the coaching staff about the possibles pros and cons while continuing to play at a high level in the secondary. But he made clear from the start that the opportunity to make a run at a title with the Buckeyes would tempt him, and Roby ultimately couldn't walk away from it.

(Read full post)

The work for the 2013 season is already underway for Ohio State with the strength program in full swing, but the first moves that started shaping the potential encore effort from a perfect campaign began almost two months ago. BuckeyeNation is counting down the five biggest early developments for the team since last season ended and how they will impact the Buckeyes moving forward.

No. 5: Carlos Hyde returns for his senior season

• Development: When the opportunity to establish himself as the workhorse back presented itself, Hyde certainly made the most of it in his junior season. After breaking out in a major way for the Buckeyes and piling up touchdowns seemingly all season long, Hyde at least entertained the idea of capitalizing on his productive campaign and making an early jump to the NFL. But ultimately the starting tailback elected to stay, giving him the chance to both compete for a championship and boost his professional stock even more. The benefits, obviously, are mutual.
• What it means: The Buckeyes would have still had talented options to turn to in the backfield without Hyde next season, particularly with Jordan Hall coming back from injuries that forced him into an unplanned redshirt year and with Rod Smith showing glimpses of the ability that made him such a coveted prospect when he signed in 2010. But Hyde's mix of power running between the tackles and undervalued top-end speed made for a perfect combination with quarterback Braxton Miller's athleticism on the perimeter, giving Ohio State a deadly inside-outside threat that defenses struggled to defend. Now instead of replacing half of the equation, the Buckeyes can simply add more weapons around them to make the rushing attack even more challenging to slow down.
• Numbers game: Few teams were more successful in the red zone last season than the Buckeyes, and it was Hyde's knack for finding the end zone any time the offense was close that paced an attack that converted 76 percent of its possessions inside the 20-yard line into touchdowns. The longest of Hyde's touchdown runs went for 16 yards, which means the other 15 scores all came with Ohio State on the move and inside the red zone as well.
• He said it: "Huge [leadership] void. Jordan Hall returning is a tremendous boost, because he was elected captain last year. Looking for [defensive backs] C.J. Barnett and Christian Bryant to step up. And then guys that I have already had conversation with that have not been in that situation but now they are, that’s [Corey] 'Philly' Brown and Carlos Hyde." -- Ohio State coach Urban Meyer on identifying veteran leaders, including the returning Hyde.

Urban Meyer went 12-0 in his first year at Ohio State. Now comes maybe even the harder part: Following that up with the burden of expectations.

Many are already projecting the 2013 Buckeyes as a top-5 team and a national title contender, not to mention the Big Ten favorite. Fans are hoping for another undefeated run. Meyer isn't running away from those things.

"People say, 'Would you rather be the underdog or the favorite?'" Meyer said Friday in a news conference. "We'd love to be the favorite all the time. That means we've got a good team. So, no, I don't mind it."

But the coach is also being realistic. He was at the BCS title game between Alabama and Notre Dame as a guest commentator and saw up close what it will take to win a national title. As for talking about getting there next season, Meyer said, "that's like saying we've got to go to the moon. We're nowhere near that conversation."

Meyer knows his second team in Columbus has much room to grow, starting on a defensive line where all four starters depart from the 2012 lineup. He's still looking for "drastic improvement" from the receivers and from his quarterbacks' throwing precision. Meyer said he planned to meet with the team Friday afternoon, and his mantra would be "truth." As in, he would be bluntly honest with the players on what they needed to work on.

"We were very strong in certain areas [in 2012] and some of them were phenomenal," he said. "But quite a few were below average. So if it's strong, enhance it, and if it's weak, fix it."

The challenge for the Buckeyes is to make those gains without the benefit of the 15 extra bowl practices in December. Meyer and his coaches can't do much with the players on the field until spring practice begins. The players have to take more of a responsibility to work on their own.

"If we want to be a very functional football team, there has to be some self-leadership among the groups," Meyer said. "Because it's on the players; the coaches can't force them to do it."

Some other notes from Meyer's media session:

• Four Ohio State assistants at least had discussions about other jobs this spring, but everyone on the staff stayed. Meyer said he hopes his assistants will get opportunities to move on, but always asks his coaches for two-year commitments.
• Could Ohio State compete with Alabama? Meyer reiterated his declaration from the season-ending win against Michigan when he said the Buckeyes were a very good team who could play with anybody in the country. But then he added, "to say we can roll in there and beat a team like that, first I'll say I don't want to speculate. And then I'm going to give you an honest answer: Right now, I think we have too many holes to fill."
• Asked about the apparent talent disparity between the Southeast and the Midwest, Meyer had this to say: "In the Southeast, the quantity is far greater than the quantity of the upper-level Midwestern schools. ... It's up to the Big Ten to change that. The only way to do it is to go out and recruit and get some more depth."
• Speaking of recruiting, Meyer said there's a huge difference in that area this year as opposed to last year after he took the job in November. Back then, he said, he was just handed lists of the top 20 players at each position, and he would call them to make a sales pitch. Now, he says, "We've been here, we've been in the schools and we know what we're getting."
• Meyer called the loss of several great senior leaders off last season's team, most notably John Simon, "a huge void." He said offensive tackle Jack Mewhort could take the role of Simon as the team's heart and soul. Other potential leaders he mentioned include running backs Jordan Hall and Carlos Hyde, safeties C.J. Barnett and Christian Bryant, receiver Corey "Philly" Brown and linebacker Ryan Shazier.