Urban Meyer post-game comments
There's probably discussion of this buried in some other threads, but I didn't see a board topic.
Was anyone else shocked at Meyer's post-game comments and demeanor? Calling this season a "grind" and saying something along the lines of "nothing's ever good enough" . . . he seemed pretty down considering his team just beat Norte Dame in a major bowl game. Looking at what happened with him at UF, I'd be a little concerned if I were an OSU fan. That did not seem like a man who is enjoying his job.
We've all seen this season how teams can assume their coach's personalities, and OSU looked listless and disinterested most of the year. I get that they won a championship last year, but it's not like they were on an Alabama-esque tear of multiple titles in a short span. Especially compared to Harbaugh's ebullience after the Citrus Bowl, Meyer seemed like a coach on the verge of burnout.
January 2nd, 2016 at 10:42 AM ^
Brian Kelly, take note.
January 2nd, 2016 at 11:41 AM ^
January 2nd, 2016 at 10:13 AM ^
January 2nd, 2016 at 10:15 AM ^
the bunny is maize colored and Elmo is scarlet. It makes perfect sense.
January 2nd, 2016 at 10:56 AM ^
there are many bizarre "Toy Story" shows that will never make the screen- that scene was after a night of binge drinking
January 2nd, 2016 at 10:12 AM ^
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January 2nd, 2016 at 10:18 AM ^
..nodded off into an afternoon nap during Kareem Walker's OSU visit.
January 2nd, 2016 at 12:20 PM ^
January 2nd, 2016 at 10:13 AM ^
...but I would not jump to any conclusions. Probably just some off the cuff thoughtless comments in the after game interview.
Could it signal that after 4 years at OSU he is is beginning to lose that razor edge focus? Hopefully so. But until I see more evidence, it probably means nothing.
At the same time, Urban Meyer looks a lot older than his true age, and he looks older than Harbaugh, even though Harbuagh is 6 months older than Meyer.
January 2nd, 2016 at 10:16 AM ^
This is true.
Urban seems like he's always on edge and when the slightest thing goes wrong, he gets really down on himself.
January 2nd, 2016 at 10:26 AM ^
January 2nd, 2016 at 11:55 AM ^
January 2nd, 2016 at 5:56 PM ^
as well as his everyday demeanor. The way Harbaugh takes disappointment could not be showcased any better than post MSU this year. Every coach in the country could relate to him in that moment. Your optimist / perfectionist take is spot on.
OSU has had a string of success and a culture that breeds this atmosphere for Meyer. Michigan has it's own dysfunction but it's not this. At least not now. If ever it was... that would be a sad day.
January 2nd, 2016 at 10:42 AM ^
The sideline reporter brought up the MSU loss. Meyer said he was getting better at handling losses . . . but not much. He still looked devestated.
You can imagine that it was quite a month in Columbus while the rabid mouth breathing OSU fanbase watched MSU barely survive close calls against OSU and Iowa to slink into the Playoffs while a clearly superior OSU team was left watching on TV.
I'm sure they were ever so gentle on their head coach and his family.
It should not be this way, but you know that this season is viewed as a failure by OSU fans.
January 2nd, 2016 at 10:54 AM ^
They had a radio poll on down here last week asking which season was a bigger disapointment - the Browns at 3-12 or the Buckeyes at 11-1 because they werent playing for the NC. And the Buckeyes "won" in a landslide - people actually viewed an 11-1 season for Ohio State as being a dissapointment greater than the absolulte mess of a pro team we have.
I'm not sure I'd take any great comfort in Meyer's post-game attitude though. The dude is a cold-blooded killer when it comes to wanting to win (his seniors just tied the record set by Boise State for most wins over a four year period) and if anything this "disappointing" season will be fuel for him next year.
January 2nd, 2016 at 11:00 AM ^
Wow, that's sick.
If you are a coach, that's a hell of a high-wire to walk on . . . perfection or death.
January 2nd, 2016 at 1:02 PM ^
January 2nd, 2016 at 4:43 PM ^
This season is judged like a failure because OSU turned a boat load of talent and a defending national championship roster into second place in its own division.
The reality of returning 90% of the starters from a run away national champion is that if you don't repeat, you failed.
Next year, the expectations will be a lot lower, and a 12-1 season would be a massive success. It's all relative to how you look at the expectations.
Let's put it this way, Michigan fans are ecstatic with the result of this season, despite losing three games and playing in the B-Dubs Bowl. If UM turns in the same record next year, you guys will be disappointed. That's just the nature of the beast.
January 2nd, 2016 at 5:08 PM ^
But do you really think that 10-3 will be "good enough" for most fans? Expectations have been set, and not many are going to have the perspective, especially given recent history. Heck, half the fans don't know who John Cooper was, so a loss to Michigan may define a failed season for most.
January 2nd, 2016 at 10:02 PM ^
January 2nd, 2016 at 5:10 PM ^
January 2nd, 2016 at 10:01 PM ^
A trip to Indy next year replacing half the team? Smashing success. At least to me.
January 3rd, 2016 at 7:37 AM ^
January 2nd, 2016 at 12:30 PM ^
I think Urban took a huge amount of heat for that loss vs OSU. Now it was completely inexplicable and an embarassment for them, but I feel like Urban has thin skin too. Gotta be able to let some of that stuff roll off you but Urban's demeanor suggests maybe that's not his forte
January 2nd, 2016 at 12:25 PM ^
January 2nd, 2016 at 10:18 AM ^
January 2nd, 2016 at 10:39 AM ^
Obviously I think there's a pretty good chance Michigan wins the east next year. I think the announcers yesterday said Urban is now 50-4 at OSU (I think that includes the win over Notre Dame). If they have another good season and lose to only Michigan, that would put Urban at around 61-5 in 5 years with only one B1G title.
Yes, there were ineligible his first season and the one year they won the conference also ended with a national championship, but that's still pretty crazy to hink about. I have to imagine that would only add to the stress.
January 2nd, 2016 at 10:46 AM ^
Yes, in the sense that if he's stressed now, wait until he actually starts to lose some games to "scUM". That's not the same thing as losing two close games to Dantonio, a former OSU asssistant that is still held in high regard in Columbus.
His fan base will go beserk on him the first time he loses to Michigan and the despised Jim harbaugh. If I were him, I would be dreading that day too.
January 2nd, 2016 at 11:17 AM ^
January 2nd, 2016 at 11:16 AM ^
January 2nd, 2016 at 11:49 AM ^
January 2nd, 2016 at 12:01 PM ^
January 2nd, 2016 at 4:49 PM ^
January 2nd, 2016 at 10:22 AM ^
January 2nd, 2016 at 10:25 AM ^
The OSU situation is so unique that I'm not sure it is possible to be the HC there and not feel like its an absolute soul destroying grind.
It is a program that has had so much success in a state that is nutjob crazy about that team (and not much else). They went from one highly successful championship coach to another who carries even greater expectations without missing a beat (sans Fickles lone season). They are not supposed to lose EVER to anyone. And the team has been loaded with 5* national recruits who expect to get theirs. All of that creates a unique and interesting dynamic esp. now that he has to reload for the first time at OSU. The expectation will not change...and it could get ugly in CBus if heaven-fordid OSU should lose 2-3 games even in a rebuilding year.
January 2nd, 2016 at 10:31 AM ^
It looks like OSU also has a pretty tough schedule next year. At Oklahoma, Wisconsin and Stae. They have Nebraska and Michigan at home. Hell throw Indiana in there. They always seem to have trouble with them as well. For a rebuilding team, that definitely looks like at least 2 losses.
January 2nd, 2016 at 10:31 AM ^
I think the Alabama situation is more pressure filled from every perspective as they have won more championships with nick and want more, and other than Alabama football there is nothing else as they have no other pro teams there.
January 2nd, 2016 at 10:53 AM ^
true but the state of Ohio doesn't have the equivalent of Auburn. That's certainly something else. Can't imagine there's signifcantly more pressure in Tuscaloosa than there is in Columbus, but who knows. To me, it's splitting hairs if there is a difference.
Biggest thing with Meyer to me -- and with Saban, too -- is that it doesn't look like they're having much fun at times. I'm sure they love what they do most days, but from the outside, it appears there are times when all of the joy is gone from the job. Especially Meyer, and this year there seemed to be several of those days for him.
January 2nd, 2016 at 11:00 AM ^
there are no "pro" teams in Ohio either! Why do you think the Bucks are so big here!
January 2nd, 2016 at 11:12 AM ^
No doubt Alabama is another ultra high pressure place..but there are some key differences. First, Saban didn't enter on the heels of another long-standing championship winning HC. He came in after Shuler who was a .500 coach at Bama so the immediate pressure wasn't there. He was rebuilding the program which offers some breathing room. Also, the SEC much more openly plays fast with the rules than the B1G so IMO the expectations across the conference are a bit different.
January 2nd, 2016 at 10:49 AM ^
Since World War II, every single Ohio State coach has been fired or forced to quit in shame.
Every single one.
It is the graveyard of coaches. Hopefully not literally for Meyer.
The stress is intense.
January 2nd, 2016 at 10:54 AM ^
To be fair... Woody got fired for losing his temper... he would have resigned on his own terms if that Clemson debacle didn't happen.
January 2nd, 2016 at 11:04 AM ^
You know- now that I think about it- Woody and Urban both share this crazed intensity of hating loses to the point of sickness. But they wouldn't fire Urb for hitting a kid- times have changed- he would be given a raise here in C-bus! (and some brass knuckles)
January 2nd, 2016 at 11:08 AM ^
But that's my point, Woody went beserk after the accumulated stress of losing to Michigan 3 straight times and then losing his bowl game to unheralded Clemson.
Woody was always on the edge to begin with, and the stress at Ohio State when he started losing some games pushed him over the edge.
It's an intense environment, and if you are already an intense personality like Hayes or Meyer, it can cause you to snap. If you are relaxed and laid back like Cooper, then they will run you out of town for not being intense enough.
January 2nd, 2016 at 12:07 PM ^
So, everyone. Like the man said.
January 2nd, 2016 at 12:32 PM ^
January 2nd, 2016 at 10:26 AM ^
He hears the Harbaugh Express and doesn't want to get run over....
January 2nd, 2016 at 10:29 AM ^
January 2nd, 2016 at 10:39 AM ^
Maybe Schiano is having the same pipe dream.