Finebaum taking a Scorched Earth approach to Ohio State

Submitted by Human Torpedo on

Calls Urban an underachiever after weeks of constant criticism of him for handling of Zach Smith

https://twitter.com/Tradition/status/1031533317764538368

FauxMo

August 20th, 2018 at 10:51 AM ^

I don't care if Finebaum is "on our side" on this one. He's still a full-of-shit gas bag whose head looks like the tip of a sad, old penis. 

canzior

August 20th, 2018 at 10:54 AM ^

You can make an argument that he has underachieved.  After every loss 11W lost their mind and called into question his ability to win big games and questioned his offensive creativity. As great as he is, if you were told in 2012 Meyer would have a top 5 class every year at OSU for 6 years, you'd would take the over at 1.5 National titles. 1 title and 2 conference titles in 6 years at a school that is the most talented in the conference, by a large margin over most teams is a little under-performing.

canzior

August 20th, 2018 at 11:11 AM ^

Yep, great record. Again...if I told you in 2012 UM/OSU would go 73-8 over the next 6 years...you'd think they'd only have 1 title? He's considered the 2nd best cfb coach in this era, with ELITE recruiting. I'm not saying he sucks, or is even average, I'm just saying it's reasonable to think he would've done more with all the advantages he and OSU have had. 

 

Stringer Bell

August 20th, 2018 at 11:17 AM ^

Eh, winning national titles is really hard.  Only Alabama has multiple titles in the CFP era, and it's questionable that they even deserved to be in the playoff last year (2015 OSU was in a similar situation and got left out).  So if we're comparing Meyer to the greatest CFB dynasty in modern history, then sure he's underachieved.  But by every other measure, he's lived up to the expectations.  Now please stop making me defend the scumbag.

Logan88

August 20th, 2018 at 11:27 AM ^

One could make the case that Meyer shouldn't have any National titles at OSU.

The year they went on to win it all was the year that they were gifted the win at PSU: remember the interception that obviously wasn't an interception to everyone but the replay official deep in PSU territory that gave the Bucks an undeserved TD or the FG that wasn't snapped for nearly two full seconds after the playclock expired without the officials calling delay of game? That was ten points that OSU should not have had in regulation in a game that ended up being decided in OT. That loss would have given OSU two regular season losses and they would not have gone to the CFP that year.

That game reminds me a lot of the 2016 OSU-UM game. The officials decided the winner, not the players on the field.

ScooterTooter

August 20th, 2018 at 11:54 AM ^

I want to point out that his 2012 team was as garbage an undefeated team can possibly be.

The best team they played all year was probably 8-5 Michigan at home (Michigan was better than Nebraska even though Nebraska finished 10-4. If anyone ever wanted to make the case that 10 wins is not impressive, check out that Nebraska season. Two losses in which they gave up 60+ points, a win over Michigan in which Denard Robinson got hurt early and multiple pull it out their ass wins in the final quarter). 

Seriously, Urban Meyer started 25-0 because he played no one. It would be like Jim Harbaugh and Michigan not playing 2015 Utah, 2015 Michigan State, 2015 Ohio State, 2016 Colorado, 2016 Penn State, 2016 Wisconsin, 2016 Ohio State his first two years. He'd be like 23-1 with the only loss being at the last second to Iowa. 

All this to say, that 2012 Ohio State team would have been dismantled in any kind of playoff. 

canzior

August 20th, 2018 at 11:26 AM ^

But isn't that the standard he's being held to? It's not like he's at ND...or unfortunately at Michigan where success has been fleeting for over a decade.  He's paid to compete with Saban, to be in the playoff every year, not to just win a bunch of games. And when you factor in that him and the school have a win-at-all-costs mentality I'd think the 2nd best coach in college football would win more frequently than once every 6 years at a place like OSU. 

Again..not saying he's a horrible coach, I think he's been excellent, but I also think that he shouldn't be judged as though he's David Shaw or Pat Fitzgerald.  I think ultimately that's what led Jimbo Fisher to leave. The expectation is absurdly high, but that's what $5/6 million a year gets you.

Mr Miggle

August 20th, 2018 at 12:01 PM ^

To be fair, Meyer also had an undefeated season with a team that wasn't eligible for the postseason. I think it's more of a circular argument. Set the expectations high enough so he's underachieved. One could easily do the same with Saban.

Alabama had the #1 ranked recruiting class for 7 straight years and the best coach. How many championships is a fair expectation for them? How many does that leave for everybody else?

Calling Meyer the 2nd best coach is overrating him a bit, imo. At least Swinney has to be ahead of him now.

True Blue Grit

August 20th, 2018 at 11:28 AM ^

I'd have to somewhat agree with you on the underachieving argument.  With how off the charts their recruiting has been, they should be in the NC game every year - but they're not.  Michigan has come damned close to beating them the last two years despite not having nearly as much talent at many positions.  Still, 73-8 is very, very good however you assess their relative talent compared to everyone else.  

canzior

August 20th, 2018 at 11:33 AM ^

Agree...I'd take 73-8 over the next 6 years....they lost to (more than once) an MSU team that was clearly out-talented by any measure of such things. They got smoked by Iowa and I know strange thing happen at Kinnick but geesh.  31-0 still exists...those are things you don't expect from a 3 time national champ, with the most 5 star talent on their team than the entire conference combined is all I'm saying. 

kevbo1

August 20th, 2018 at 10:56 AM ^

I've been saying for a couple years that to have the record he has at OSU and only one NC is a disappointment.  The only NC happened because the QB got injured.

ijohnb

August 20th, 2018 at 11:14 AM ^

Did anybody hear any chatter that Durkin was unpopular with the players when he was at UM or that he operated in the way described at Maryland?  If you read some of the stuff that is coming out about the atmosphere within the Maryland program, it sounds like Durkin was a pretty bad dude.  Not trying to impugn the staff while he was here, but it is hard to believe that he just snapped and went psycho coach at Maryland.

CRISPed in the DIAG

August 20th, 2018 at 11:06 AM ^

Meyer hasn't underachieved. Winning a national championship is as hard as it's ever been when you consider the playoff, high-end talent leaves after three years and one conference essentially getting a push from the national sports network. 

That said - assuming he survives the next few days - his seat will warm up considerably if we beat them in Columbus and they suffer one or two other losses along the way. Just one win will get the conversation going.

ijohnb

August 20th, 2018 at 11:07 AM ^

I think Meyer should probably be fired but frankly I don't care who is coaching them when we beat them in November.

HelloHeisman91

August 20th, 2018 at 11:09 AM ^

McMurphy appeared on his show last Friday so I downloaded his podcast to listen and I can’t believe he has a show on the radio.  He took calls his whole show and I’m convinced they hire actors to call in as moron SEC fans that just yell into the phone for five minutes at a time.  It’s unlistenable. 

Catchafire

August 20th, 2018 at 11:09 AM ^

Anyone calling Urban Meyer an underachiever needs to get their head checked out.  Just because you supposedly have the highest ranked players doesn't necessarily mean that you win all the games (thank god for that!). 

Zach Smith should have been let go a long time ago.  The fact that he remained on staff is puzzling given that Urban/OSU/Staff knew about this.  THAT to me is the troubling part. 

Should Urban be fired?  I could go either way on this one.

Should Durkin be fired?  I am more inclined to say that Durkin should be fired. 

sdogg1m

August 20th, 2018 at 11:11 AM ^

Pete Finebaum has integrity issues; that much was clear when he labeled Harbaugh a cheater despite the rules being followed. We should not care what Pete thinks about OSU.

Also, does the Big 10 have a PR machine similar to the SEC?