CHICAGO — The Big Ten East Division is every bit as good as the SEC East was when Urban Meyer coached at Florida … so said the coach himself at Big Ten Media Day Monday. Meyer said his approach hasn’t changed because of Jim Harbaugh’s hiring at Michigan, but the Wolverines will always have his attention.
But you’d better not take your eye off the ball any other week, he added.
“I don’t think it’s just Coach Harbaugh. I think it’s our conference,” he said. “This is an intense, ‘you’d better bring it every day, top to bottom’ in our conference now. [Harbaugh] was a big part of that, as well.”
It’s a rivalry of respect but dislike, he said later. It wouldn’t behoove him to disrespect it by showing outward animosity, he added.
“That’s not me. That’s the way it is,” he said of the rivalry. “I would be shocked if both sides … every player, every coach ever talks about it like that.
“I have a different perspective. I’m 53. For 50 years I’ve followed the rivalry. As soon as I could stand up, I remember hearing about that rivalry. So respect is the proper word.
“I think they’re very good programs, very highly respected programs across all our colleagues, recruiting, etc.”
He didn’t realize last year’s 30-27 win was the first overtime game in the rivalry, he said when asked to reminisce a bit. The Buckeyes roared back from 10 down, took advantage of key Michigan turnovers and a friendly, fourth down spot to force overtime and pull out the victory.
His best memory of the rivalry, to date, was “when Curtis Samuel crossed the goal line” last year, he said.
“That’s pretty neat to be part of that,” he said of the first OT game. “I know one thing — you’d better be ready to go when you play those guys. Other than that, we start practice Thursday.”
As for the spot … he admitted he’d watched it “about 100 times.” Asked for his thoughts, he smiled and said, “We start practice on Thursday.”
One Columbus reporter in the front row held his hands about a foot apart, to which Meyer laughed and pointed at him.
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