Crescent-News.com - OSU-UM Rivalry Up Close: Wauseon's Mealer seeing the rivalry from the inside as a Wolverines' freshman

By BRUCE HEFFLINGER

ANN ARBOR -- It's been a year of rehabbing an injury while watching his team compile its worst record ever.

Yet, Elliott Mealer remains the positive person he is as he looks ahead to Saturday's Ohio State and Michigan football clash.

The 2008 Wauseon graduate is red-shirting this year, but his health has progressed to the point he has been a member of the Michigan scout squad since the end of September.

"I've been practicing full go since week four or five," Mealer said. "It's still a little tight, but I've been playing to the best of my ability."

The UM freshman would love nothing more than to be on the field when he gets an up-close look at the heated rivalry for the first time on Saturday, but admits sitting out the season has been the thing to do while nursing his shoulder back to health.

"I'm not physically or mentally ready to play," Mealer noted. "I'd love to, and my heart says it would be great to play, but at the same time everybody I've talked to has told me that red-shirting is the best thing.

"One you have to be good enough, and two the team has to need you. I don't think I'm needed enough."

Instead, the 6-6, 280-pounder is relegated to the scout team helping the Wolverines prepare for Saturday's season finale.

"I'm giving them everything I have," said Mealer, who has been playing Ohio State left guard Jim Cordle or left tackle Alex Boone as a member of the scout team during practice. "It's a different lifestyle this week. I'm pumping everything into it."

But a 3-8 record has not been easy for Michigan players and fans alike in Rich Rodriguez's first year as head coach.

"Things have not gone the way we wanted," Mealer said. "A lot of it has been adapting to a new system and new coaches, but the guys are working hard.

"There was a coach (Lloyd Carr) who did it one way and you put everything whole-heartedly into that, and then they switch on you and bring in a new style and you have to change because things are completely different. You have to adapt.

"We're close ... you can see glimpses of it during the season. It's just a matter of being consistent."

Mealer has nothing but good things to say about Rodriguez, who came from West Virginia to the Wolverines in the offseason with a complete change in offensive philosophies than has been in the program.

"I can only speak for myself, but I love coach Rod," Mealer explained. "I think he's awesome the way he's handled everything since the day I met him. He's very dedicated. No matter what, he has a winning attitude and the coaching staff reflects that. Like they say, you don't love to win you hate to lose. I have so much faith in coach Rodriguez and the staff, I'd go to war for him."

But not being able to go out on the field to do that has been tough.

"The first game I felt that (desire to play) was the Michigan State game," Mealer pointed out. "Being from Ohio I thought the Michigan State game was just another game but the guys on the team from Michigan (50 on the roster are from Michigan) take it a different way. It's like their state championship game.

"The crowd was even violent, it was kind of scary. Both crowds were into it and from that aspect I would really have loved to be out there hitting."

That makes this week tough on Mealer, who grew up as an Ohio State fan.

"This is the first time I'm actually a Wolverine going up against the team I once loved," Mealer said. "It's not to say it will be tough, but it will be different."

Practices this week have been different as well for a Michigan squad that comes in a 201/2 point underdog.

"It's hard to explain, you'd have to experience it, but there's a different feel in the air," Mealer explained. "Everybody has a swagger, that this is what it's all about. It's the hardest hitting week (of the season). The guys are going all out. They say it doesn't matter about the record. I really get that sense during practice that there's a lot of confidence. Our backs are against the wall but we'll give it everything to win.

"This is a game that's supposed to be close, but not one person has faith in us being close. Coach Rod says that's the way he likes it. He says there's only going to be one percent of the people there rooting for you.

"We just need to put in our best effort and do the things we need to," Mealer continued. "The glimpses we've shown in different games we need to do all the time. It's not going to be easy, though. The Buckeyes are tough as always."

While Mealer won't be on the field Saturday, he is looking forward to being on the field in the 2009 campaign.

"I can tell I've improved in the football part of the game and I've gotten a lot stronger," Mealer said. "We'll see how it plays out. All of our offensive linemen are back which makes it that much more of a challenge.

"I'm just going to work hard so I can help whatever way the team can use me. My goal is to start. I'd love to start, I'd love to play, I'd love to travel."

But that will have to wait.

This year Mealer has dressed for home games but does not travel to road contests unless he gets his own way there due to a Big 10 rule which only permits a specific number of players to travel with the team.

"I wish I could play this week, it's going to be hard to sit back and watch," Mealer said. "I'm trying to get tickets from some teammates, but I may just relax and watch it on TV. It's 50-50, it will probably be a last-minute decision."

Relax?

"I guess I won't be too relaxed," Mealer said with a chuckle.

But Saturday's game will be far from a laughing matter.

"I've had a lot of buddies back home ask why I want to go here, but I couldn't be any happier," Mealer said. "The game's going to be exciting. I hope we can win so I can tell them 'that's why I'm here.' "