COLUMBUS, Ohio - New Ohio State coach Urban Meyer recently completed individual, post-spring practice meetings with every player on his roster.
Those players now know where they stand.
Like, exactly where they stand.
"It was made very clear where we are," Meyer said Wednesday.
Meyer pulls no punches and holds no regard for ego or feelings. Each 15-minute meeting included Meyer sharing an evaluation from the strength coaches, an evaluation from the assistant coaches who work closely with the player, an academic evaluation and the final answer from the man hired to be The Answer in moving Ohio State's program past the turbulence of the last 17 months and on to a bright, championship-laden future.
Meyer's high standards -- on and off the field -- have been a welcome change for some players and probably a complete culture shock to others. Meyer discussed his feelings and the results of those meetings and unveiled Ohio State's post-spring depth chart Wednesday in his first public remarks since Ohio State's spring game on April 21.
"We set the depth chart now, and we made a big emphasis with the players this spring, that it's not just about fundamental development and skill development, it's about earning a spot," Meyer said. "When we get to camp in August, it's not about developing the depth chart. It's about trying to go win a game."
Meyer said it's been his experience that talent can win a college football team "seven or eight games," and the proper discipline mixed with talent can get a team to nine wins. Getting beyond that, he said, comes down to leadership -- and he said he's stressed leadership throughout the spring and did so again in his individual player meetings.
"The leadership is not where it needs to be," he said.
In those meetings, Meyer said he and the player "sit across the table" and discuss areas of strengths and weakness and each player's role in the program. The worst thing to have, Meyer said, is any "cloudiness" about where a player stands or how he's handling his responsibilities.
"It's not always comfortable," he said.
The public release of the depth chart provides a glimpse into how some of those meetings -- and how the offseason as a whole -- might have gone. Meyer expounded upon some areas, praised his offensive line group for the strides it made in the spring and said he sees enough talent for the passing game to make strides into the fall.
"It's the competitive nature and leadership of the quarterback position," Meyer said. "If Kenny Guiton and Braxton Miller are really good leaders, you'll see a much better passing game. If they're not, you won't."
Meyer said the offense as a whole was a "clown show for about the first three weeks of spring practice" but made strides from there. He said the receiving corps entered spring practice as "probably the most unprepared group I've ever dealt with as far as practice."
Suffice to say that preparation won't be overlooked from here on out.
The new sheriff in town isn't afraid to wield his power and share his true feelings.
"Football is the same way it's been for years," Meyer said. "The toughest team, the most committed team is going to find a way a to win a game."
