Coach Wilcher on Urban Meyer: "I believe our relationship is stronger now."
"(Meyer) said he didn't know about (Drayton) leaving, that it was a last minute thing. The most important thing about my 'misleading' part was that I didn't really understand the process of recruiting behind Ohio State. I truly do now.
I understand the ambition Urban Meyer has, I understand the integrity of Urban Meyer and I understand that he's about the welfare of the child and the wholeness of what the athletes need at the university. He instilled in me that no child will be left behind in his program.
We did meet. We did talk. And he is the person I thought he was and the person I believe him to be. I believe our relationship is stronger now."
-Thomas Wilcher (cited)
I figured the board may be interested given how Coach Wilcher had previously blasted Urban Meyer about the Mike Weber/Stan Drayton situation:
"I think Urban Meyer will have to step his game up; we're going to have to talk," Wilcher told Detroit Sports 105.1 in a long interview. "He has come to my school and got the No. 1 athlete two years in a row. You cannot come over here, come up to the north, and walk out of here with your pockets full and not give us respect."
February 24th, 2015 at 12:57 PM ^
come on you tell me he did not know about the guy leaving. this is just plain bull shit. snow job and he bought it.
February 24th, 2015 at 1:58 PM ^
got paid, and laid, for spouting this bullshit. That would make sense.
Otherwise he just sounds like a moran.
February 24th, 2015 at 2:35 PM ^
Those of you who take Wilcher's comments at face value, should probably "rethink". Let me interpret for you:
1. "told a northeast ohio media group" -- I'm not going to create more fuel to the fire for people who don't believe me and who will try to discredit the opinions I give my players in the future.
2. He spoke to Urban and now things are different -- I assumed that Drayton had lied to Weber. Now it is clear that Drayton lied to Weber, and Urban says Urban didn't know anything about Drayton leaving until after the conversation Drayton had with Weber at midnight, hours before Drayton announced his resignation. Now I understand where Drayton stood and Urban stands.
3. The most important part was my comment regarding misleading, but now I understand -- I said it was misleading because I assume Coach Meyer would admit he knew about Drayton. In light of my conversation with Coach Meyer, it is now clear to me that he and Drayton did not mislead Weber, they straight out lied to him.
4. I understand Meyer's ambition -- I now fully understand his ambition to win at all costs, and without regard to honesty or integrity to players or recruits. That ambition should cause my recruits to question his sincerity.
5. I understand the intregity of Urban Meyer -- He has none. He believes that he knows what is best from recruits, and does not feel the need to share information with them honestly, or instruct his coaches to do so. He feels his ambition to win is the only integrity needed.
6. I understand he's about the welfare of the child and the wholeness of what athletes need at the universty -- Coach Meyer made it clear to me that his ambition to win should outweigh any other factor, such as academics or integrity of the program, because his football players attend school to play football, not to go to school.
7. We did meet. We did talk. And he is the person I thought he was and the person I believe him to be. -- I spoke to Coach Meyer. I told him I think he is a liar. I told him I thought he did Weber a disservice. He lied to me about knowing Drayton would be leaving. I believed after signing day that he lacked integrity and I continue to believe that today.
8. I believe our relationship is stronger now. -- I understand Coach Meyer's conversations with my players are not for their benefit, but for his, and his ambition to win ballgames. Now that I understand he has lied and will continue to lie in the future, I understand where is comign from and will take that into account.
February 24th, 2015 at 3:29 PM ^
He didn't know about Drayton leaving just like he still doesn't know 57 of his players were arrested in six years at Florida.
February 24th, 2015 at 7:31 PM ^
and spinning the truth your way is a big part of it. College football coaches - and HS coaches - need to not just be good football people, they also need to be talented salespeople and politicians.
Has anyone ever recruited on blunt honesty? Of course not. Kids don't really want the truth, kids can't handle the truth, same goes for fans, donors, the media. People want good news, people want to believe you're a good guy. It's your job to sell that and sell it good. Urban is very good at it but he's not the only one.
February 24th, 2015 at 8:04 PM ^