Ohio State coach Urban Meyer disputed a report that there is growing tension between him and athletic director Gene Smith.
"There’s no tension,” Meyer said on Tuesday's Big Ten Conference call. “I talk and work with Gene darn near on a daily basis."
Meyer also denied there is any tension between him and his staff after the Buckeyes were shockingly upset 49-20 by Purdue on Saturday.
“There are things need to be fixed,” Meyer said. “I wouldn’t call it tension, I would call it day-to-day going to work and working on your weaknesses and getting it fixed. There’s no tension – urgency is what I would call it.”
Footballscoop.com had reported there was tension between Meyer and Smith because of the situation involving former assistant coach Zach Smith. Gene Smith and Meyer both received suspensions for their handling of the events leading up Zach Smith's dismissal.
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With a bye this week, Meyer said he and his coordinators stayed in Columbus to address the team’s problems, rather than be on the road to recruit.
Even with the loss to Purdue, the Buckeyes still control their own destiny in regards to the College Football Playoff. Ohio State will host Nebraska on Nov. 3 and then play Michigan State and Maryland before its regular-season finale at home against No. 5 Michigan. Wins in those four contests and the Big Ten championship game would put the Buckeyes in the field.
Before they can think of that kind of finish, Ohio State must ignite a running game that has been ineffective by its lofty standard. Twelve hours was spent Monday by Meyer and coordinators discussing how to improve that area of the offense.
“That is something that has to happen,” Meyer said.
The next three days will be spent in practice working on attacking in the red zone. Over the last two games, the Buckeyes have eight trips to red zone and have produced no touchdowns and four field goals.
“Obviously there are things that have to get corrected,” Meyer said
The first signs of whether their efforts have paid off will come next month.
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