Urban Meyer reveals the surprising roadblock that almost caused him to quit coaching at Ohio State
Former Ohio State head coach Urban Meyer is still revered in Columbus for his transformation of the Buckeyes' program during his seven-year tenure. The 2024 National Champion is respected, and despite his tumultuous exit from the program, is still a presence who hovers over Ryan Day and his team to this day. One of the […]
Former Ohio State head coach Urban Meyer is still revered in Columbus for his transformation of the Buckeyes' program during his seven-year tenure. The 2024 National Champion is respected, and despite his tumultuous exit from the program, is still a presence who hovers over Ryan Day and his team to this day.
One of the best collegiate coaches of all time, Meyer was part of a Life Surge event that was held this past weekend in Columbus, Ohio. Life Surge has held several sermons and events across the country with local celebrities rotating as special guests.
For example, this past event had Meyer, Kirk Herbstreit, Caleb Downs, Jeremiah Smith, Roy Hall, and Tavien St. Clair.
Meyer had an interesting story where he revealed what became a hard line for him when it came to spending students' time.
Meyer said he needed "bring church" to players because they didn't have time for it during their weekly schedules. But to pull that off, he had to circumvent calling it church service.
"I said, ‘I’m really busy, we're doing it'. She got our athletic director," he said. Gene (Smith) comes over, I haven't told this story many times. But, he comes over … and he's like ‘OK’, and I said ‘Gene, we’re doing this, if not, you gotta let me go'. He's like, ‘We’re good, let's go talk.
So, the compromise was that we had to call it ‘reflection.’ I don't know, in this day and age, you're 18 to 21 years old, we take every second of their time. How can you not do that? That's more of the question. Instead of saying, ‘How do you do it?’ How do you not do it?"
Hall, the former Buckeyes receiver, is the team's chaplain under Ryan Day, actually chided Meyer for spilling his 'secrets' for how to get around the rules.
Meyer began his coaching career in the 1980s as an assistant at various institutions, including Ohio State, Illinois State, Colorado State, and Notre Dame. His first head coaching role was at Bowling Green State University in 2001, where he quickly revitalized a struggling program, achieving a 17-6 record in just two seasons.
In 2003, Meyer took the helm at the University of Utah, where he gained national acclaim. By implementing his signature spread offense, he guided the Utes to an undefeated 12-0 season in 2004, culminating in a victory at the Fiesta Bowl. This success earned him numerous accolades, solidifying his status as one of college football’s top coaching talents.
Meyer’s most notable tenure came at the University of Florida from 2005 to 2010. During his time in Gainesville, he secured two national championships (in 2006 and 2008) and coached Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Tim Tebow. His teams were characterized by their dynamic offenses and tenacious defenses, often dominating the Southeastern Conference (SEC).
After a brief break from coaching, he returned in 2012 to Ohio State University, where he further solidified his legacy. Under his guidance, the Buckeyes enjoyed an undefeated season in 2012 and won a national championship in 2014 as part of the newly implemented College Football Playoff system.
During his seven years at Ohio State from 2012 to 2018, Meyer posted an impressive record of 83-9, never losing more than two games in a single season and maintaining an undefeated streak against Michigan. Although his 2012 team was undefeated, it was ineligible for postseason play due to NCAA violations committed during Jim Tressel's tenure.
