The Columbus Dispatch

Meyer in no hurry for return trip to Vegas

- By Tim May tmay@dispatch.com @TIM_MAYsports

Nevada-Las Vegas will play at Ohio State for the first time Saturday, but for those anticipati­ng a return trip to Vegas by the Buckeyes, forget about it, at least as long as Urban Meyer is coach.

On Meyer’s radio show Thursday, host Paul Keels asked Meyer about his experience­s playing at UNLV. It provoked an unpleasant memory for Meyer regarding the only time he has taken a team there. It was his first year at Utah in 2003, and he said he got “very angry” at the team’s operations person who booked discount rooms at a hotel on The Strip.

“The night before a game, it’s not very pleasant to be around me,” Meyer said. “I’m walking onto the elevator, and extremely intoxicate­d people are on that elevator. A guy turns and he spills beer all over me.

“It’s a good thing I (didn’t end up) in a Vegas penitentia­ry for over two weeks after that,” he said of the temper control he showed, “because I was ready to uncoil. So that’s all I remember about visiting Vegas.”

The Utes won 28-10 the next day against a UNLV team lead by former Southern California and Los Angeles Rams coach John Robinson.

Dixon on the mend

Ohio State receiver Johnnie Dixon was not part of the rotation Saturday in a 38-7 win over Army because of a strained hamstring. Meyer said Dixon will be evaluated Friday to determine whether he should sit out another week.

Middle linebacker Chris Worley also will have his foot sprain evaluated; his status still was listed as questionab­le.

Borland’s moment

Tuf Borland took Worley’s spot in the second quarter against Army and led the Buckeyes with 12 tackles. It appears likely he will get his first start at middle linebacker against UNLV.

“We trust Tuf Borland,” defensive coordinato­r Greg Schiano said. “He runs the show on our punt team, (which) other than quarterbac­k is the lead spot in this program. So it tells you how we feel about him.”

Schiano said several players could see time at middle linebacker, including freshman Baron Browning, a five-star member of the 2017 recruiting class.

Newspapers in English

Newspapers from United States