Victors Club poster: Meyer to step down
A poster at Victors Club, DChapman12, who works in "risk management" -- the discipline of helping corporations and other large institutions through legal and PR crises -- says Urban Meyer is stepping down. Relevant quotes:
Outside Risk Management Firm on campus. Priority to protect the University. Going to take quick action to protect the University. Much bigger than football. Athletics department may see additional shake up. Gene Smith may be out as well. Expect to see quick action and PR from the University voicing a united message of intolerance.
When challenged by multiple posters as to his source, he responded:
Not connected to scoop in any significant way whatsoever. Just stumbled my way to it because of my circle involved. Any other situation outside of risk management work, I’m not a source nor do I have any sources. Hope that answers your question.
It's telling that OSU has not put out any press release thus far, nor as Urban Meyer or the OSU Athletic Department. They are all clearly going back and forth with each other, their comms people, their lawyers, and possibly this outside risk management firm to figure out how to respond.
There are several elements of the McMurphy report that are damning, aside from Urban lying at the Big Ten Media Day. (1) the fact that Smith was pressured by Meyer confidants to not press charges in 2009; (2) the fact that the 2015 incidents were common knowledge within the OSU community with no reaction; (3) the fact that Zach Smith, as Earle Bruce's grandson, likely received special treatment from Meyer and OSU. Ambitious reporters will be all over these elements of the story and possibly many others.
Not going to happen
Highly Doubt it! He will get a nominal suspension and this will blow over.
Damn it all anyway. Really want to see Michigan beat his ass.
Douche bag season ticket holders here at my place of employment are defending Urban. “It’s he said she said” I hope they either can his ass or he steps down. Everybody knew he was filth before he took the job at O$U, glad to see it finally coming out now. I feel bad for Zack Smiths ex wife, he’s a tool as well, I hope that sorry son of a bitch never coaches again.
Hey now, he resigned from Florida because hew as banging students
I mean had a heart condition.
Be still my heart. This feels too good to be true. Would love to see a press conference happen this early though.
Yeah okay.....
I’ll believe it when I see it. My money says he’s going nowhere.
Implausible.
Inconceivable
I heard he stepped down.
False alarm. No editing.
I believe it. There is no way he survives this. Not in this current society. Even AJ Hawk on Sirius right now says he has a hard time seeing how Urban isn't fired. He doesn't know any more than we do, but when you look at it all and with this being one of the biggest issues in our country today, it is hard to see how he keeps his job.
Cool, that means Zach Harrison is all ours then, right?
/s
As a human I hope he's gone soon. As a UM fan I hope he stays the coach until at least the end of November.
Victory over an osu in shambles would be much less sweet, MSU 16, than it could be.
At this point, any victory over them would be welcome regardless of their situation.
I’ve seen this act before.
They Fire Meyer.
the next day, they hire Belichick.
Don't be all doom and gloom...Belichick wouldn't get hired until after the season ended.
Yup. Luke Fickell is their interim HC, Brady gets hurt in NE, so the Pats end up ~8-8, Belichick quits and takes the OSU job and hires Brady as his OC.
Current staffer fills in, Belichick leaves (and Brady leaves), but TB12 wouldn't do us like that. He might sign with the Bears and do the Lions for a few years before retiring though...
Sorry, but Brady as OC? Neg!!!
You shut your whore mouth!
I'll reiterate what has been said by others:
I'll believe it when I see it.
Two people on eleven warriors claim to know that Urban is resigning
What specifically are they saying?
Urban stays, Gene Smith takes the fall.
I heard from a source while playing Counter Strike...
It's all over Fortnite
I wonder if the stress of this situation is going to cause a heart attack...
They fought tooth and nail to keep Tressel and they'll do the same for Meyer.
I'll believe Meyer is gone when he is actually gone.
Differences between Meyer and Tressssel is Meyer willingly stepped down because of drama. Tressssel did not.
Well, it's 3:46 p.m on the East Coast. Urban, you can resign any time now...
Mark Dantonio and Tom Izzo say hi.
HAHAAHA. never happen.
Bleacher Report is calling for Meyer to be fired. Sites deception at FLA that took down the program. Sites Smith has dirt on Meyer that could take down OSU. Says OSU has no choice but to fire Meyer to protect itself. Coming in a press conference today. That is the BR's call-out.
bring back adam sandler look-a-like Luke!
Anyone else hitting refresh every 3 seconds with this post?!
* raises hand *
Maybe every 10 seconds. Not 5.
Prediction: Reprimand and short-term leave of absence for Meyer for "training and education on how to properly handle these matters" but he'll be back by the start of the season.
I am extremely skeptical.
I don't know the poster who reported this. But I have a hard time believing that a risk management company would have such loose lips that reliable information would spread through the company like that; I would think that confidentiality would be crucial in a company in that kind of business, given the kinds of "risk" they are supposed to manage.
Even if lips have been that lose and he is actually reporting things he has genuinely heard (again, I don't know the guy, and if he reads this, I hope he recognizes that I'm not trying to smear him) it seems more likely to me that we've got a game of "telephone" going on and that we have no reliable information of what has actually been decided, if anything. Recommendations can easily be translated by overhearing ears into made choices, for example.
Honestly I don't think this moves the needle enough to fire Urban. If he were, for example, suspended for the entire preseason and a third of the season (really suspended, no team contact, etc, not just coaching from the press box) that would be a massive penalty not dissimilar to the penalty a player might receive for certain infractions, and would probably get the public off their back.
I don't see him getting fired, BUT if OSU wants to maintain some integrity I do think a 1 year suspension would appease a lot of people. Meaning no access to recruiting, the football facilities, or the university. GONE, 1 year.
Hypothetical scenario...Urban is gone. Who replaces him? Does that make beating OSU any easier? It may give recruiting a brief blip for a cycle. Fortunately, I don't believe there are any Urban Meyer's waiting in the wings now like when Tressel resigned. The other coaches with OSU ties seems like D'Antonio, Fleck, the Stoops. Am I missing anyone?
Does it matter replaces him? Urban is literally one of the 2 best coaches in the game. From a strictly football perspective, anyone would be preferable unless they find a way to hire 2007 Nick Saban.
Schiano is on staff and has head coaching (ahem) experience. My guess is if Urbs is out indefinitely or otherwise, he'd be the fill-in for the season.
If Urban is fired or steps down, I will literally be shocked.
It isn't telling that OSU hasn't put anything out yet - they need to figure out what to say before they say anything. This is coming like a lightning bolt from the sky - fast and furious.
Will there be a response within the next day or so, I'd expect it since the brew is bubbling pretty well now. What will be the outcome? Will Urban step down? Unsure. I'd say the most likely scenario is he takes a leave of absence to let the chips fall where they may so the drama doesn't weigh heavily around the football team as it enters camp. Someone will be named interim HC until what happens with Meyer comes to pass. That is, if he's as upstanding as he says he is - otherwise I can see him hanging on until there is a loud enough outcry to demand action.
I think it's pretty clear he isn't the upstanding person he says he is. That was clear way before today.