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Rutgers head coach Greg Schiano's address to the media Monday, Sept. 19 heading into Saturday's game against Ohio University (TV: ESPN3, 2 p.m., at High Point Solutions Stadium, Piscataway, N.J.):

COACH SCHIANO: Before we get started, why don't I just talk about the question you're probably going to ask.

I have been in touch with Tim and we've been in constant contact with what's going on. I'm not going to make comments about any league affiliations or any league discussions or any of that stuff.

My main focus, my only focus, other than brief conversations with Tim is Ohio. I trust Tim and our administration to do what's best for Rutgers and that's what they're doing right now.

Let's turn our attention to Ohio, who is a very good football team. They're off to a 3 0 start, scoring all kind of points on offense.

When you look at their offense, their quarterback, No. 4, although he's only started three games, he's a very good player. He can run, he can throw. Their offense is unique in that it's a combination of the Nevada pistol offense, some gun run offense and some of the Nebraska option offense that Coach Solich used to employ with the speed option. They employ a vertical passing game as well as a play action passing game. Quite a challenge.

I mentioned No. 4, the quarterback, a very good player. No. 7, the wide out, very good player. 3, 15, play makers at the wide out position. They're kind of running back by committee right now. 8 left the game. 8, 20, 22 all play. The offensive line is very solid in what they do.

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Defensively it starts up front. Their nose guard, 93, 300 pounder, very stout. Their linebacking core is probably the strength of their defense. No. 47 and No. 34 are very good players.

In the secondary, I think it's No. 18, a very good player. Very, very solid. They create takeaways on defense. That's been something they've done extremely, extremely well. Six of them last game.

You know, just trying to do my homework, they are a very, very good football team and they know it and they feel it. Coach Solich just called it the best team that he's had there. They're calling it maybe the best team they've ever had there.

Going to be a great opportunity, a great challenge for our guys. We're preparing. Started our preparation last night for Ohio. Today is the players' day off. A bunch of guys in the building on their own. You can see they're working. I think we'll be up to the challenge. It will be a great football game. Looking forward to it.

Q. What do you say to recruits about expansion?

COACH SCHIANO: That doesn't have to do with Ohio. We're on Ohio. I will handle recruiting. Believe me, we're going to be fine. That's not an issue.

Q. What are your impressions of Coach Solich, who brings that pedigree from Nebraska?

COACH SCHIANO: I've known him a long time. An excellent football coach. You can see it. A team that never beats themselves. They play sound, fundamental football. I'm glad we have a bye week to look at them. I don't know if that is going to make a difference. They create a lot of problems for our defense, a lot of challenges, and you can see it. They're scoring points on everybody.

Q. You mentioned Sunday being the day where you made some offensive line decisions. What are your thoughts on Kaleb Johnson and Betim Bujari?

COACH SCHIANO: They'll play. I don't know if they'll start. We'll see how that goes this week. They're definitely going to play. A guy like Kaleb, he's a young guy. Do I want to start him against a good front? I don't know. I'll see what my feeling is come game time, what Kyle and Frank are feeling. We'll make a decision and go with it.

Both of them need to play in the game and we'll go from there. We have a little bit of flexibility as far as moving some people around and we're going to be willing to try that.

Q. Do you worry about lining up two young guys next to each other like that?

COACH SCHIANO: Well, I mean, there's going to be some mistakes, we know that. We wouldn't do it if we didn't think it gives us the positives, that the positives outweigh the mistakes we're going to make.

They've done some really good things in the bye week. Are they ready? I think so. We'll see.

Q. Do you remember where you were when Miami and Virginia Tech left the league, the differences?

COACH SCHIANO: I don't mean to be uncooperative, guys, but I really am not going to talk about that stuff. I'm on Ohio 100%. That isn’t coach speech.

Maybe if we were playing somebody that I knew we were umpteen times better than and just I got to get the team ready. I'm telling you, this is a schematic challenge and it's a personnel challenge.

You just look around. The MAC Conference has caught up. The gap has closed. You just look. Last week with Temple, almost upset Penn State. You look at what's going on. There's not a big separation anymore. There used to be. There isn't anymore.

Every MAC team has good personnel, great coaching in that league. This team is probably the best team in that league. Their offense is certainly one of the best in the country right now the way they're performing.

We have such a big challenge right now that I really want to just stick to that.

Q. If there's underclassmen or a current player in the program that expressed concerns about Rutgers not playing in a BCS conference, would you talk to them or would it just be on Ohio?

COACH SCHIANO: Are you guys going to say, You're punked now? Is that what you're fixing to do in a minute?

We're going to be fine. Let me say Rutgers is going to be fine. Don't worry about that. The rest of it is not going to get talked about. I'll address it if there's a need to address it with anyone in particular inside or outside of our program that affects our program.

Q. Anything final with Williams?