Tag: Urban Meyer

Urban Meyer thinks Ohio State-Oregon CFP semifinal is doomsday scenario

Ohio State football may take on Oregon in the Big Ten Championship and in the CFP Semifinal. Urban Meyer doesn’t think that’s a good combo.

Ohio State football will have one of its biggest games of the season on Saturday as the No. 5-ranked Indiana Hoosiers come to Columbus.

However, the Buckeyes are a heavy favorite despite their opponent coming in without a loss. Ohio State is expected to win the remainder of its regular season games, as is expected of the Oregon Ducks.

That would mean, without divisions in the Big Ten, the Ducks and Buckeyes would face off for a second time in the Big Ten Championship.

If the Ducks win, the Buckeyes should still remain as the best team without a conference championship, which will place them 5th in the College Football Playoff.

Assuming they beat the No. 12-ranked side and then the No. 4-ranked Miami, they could face the Ducks for a third time in the CFP Semifinals, also assuming Oregon beat the winner of Notre Dame–Tennessee.

Obviously all these matchups could change, but this has been what has been projected for the last few weeks, and it has an increasingly likely chance of becoming a reality.

Former National Championship-winning head coach Urban Meyer outlined how that could become a “nightmare” scenario for the Buckeyes and current head coach Ryan Day.

On The Triple Option, a weekly show hosted by Meyer, Mark Ingram II and Rob Stone, the former laid out why he isn’t a fan of the scenario from a coaches perspective.

“How about this, stare at this for a minute, so you got Ohio State, they’ll beat Boise (State) or at least they should. Then (if) they beat Miami they’re going to play Oregon for the third time this season,” Meyer said. “That’s a nightmare for a coach in a playoff. So they played in Eugene, they’re going to play in Indianapolis, probably, and then they’re going to play again in the [semifinals], unbelievable. First time ever.”

But, as we were reminded, teams change and morph into better versions of themselves. The Buckeyes should be better on a neutral field as well.

That said, with the new CFP rankings dropping later today, it should be a similar dance for a third straight week as the Buckeyes will come in at No. 5 and the Ducks will remain as the No. 1 seed.

Urban Meyer said this is why Ohio State football could win it all

The Ohio State Buckeyes have a star-studded team, but former head coach Urban Meyer said this is why they could win it all.

Winning a national championship is no easy feat in college athletics at any level, and the Ohio State Buckeyes are going to be one of the favorite to win it all this season.

The Buckeyes have Purdue at home on Saturday, a game that should be a blowout win, and coming off a 20-13 road victory over then-No. 3 Penn State, they are surging on all angles.

But, does Ohio State have what it takes to win it all?

That’s going to be reserved for a special team, and Urban Meyer, Ohio State’s former head coach, believes this is what could separate the Buckeyes this season.

“The most physical team will win the national championship. I used to say this to our players, the team that punches the hardest will win the national title. It’s historic. I mean, it’s time tested. That’s what happens. Ohio State, there were concerns. I don’t have any more concerns. I saw what I saw. We were live there. That was the best four minute drill I can remember seeing,” Meyer said on The Triple Option.

He didn’t stop there though as there had to be a reason why he thought Ohio State fit that mold.

“There’s five minutes and 13 seconds left. They ran the ball 10 straight times for 59 yards on the road of Penn State from the one yard line. And they basically said, we’re running the ball. Stop us,” Meyer continued with.

The Buckeyes do have a proven run game and do have some of the best lineman in the country. The better question will be if their offensive line can hold up against the best of the best because it is evident just how good their defense can be.

With a few tough matchups ahead in Indiana and Michigan, they may not have their ticket punched to the College Football Playoff quite yet, but if this type of dominance continues, there’s no denying they’ll enter the first 12-team CFP as a favorite to win it all.

Urban Meyer sounds off following Ohio State’s win at Penn State

The Ohio State Buckeyes beat Penn State 20-13 Saturday, and Urban Meyer is already putting quite a title on the victory.

The Ohio State Buckeyes went into Happy Valley and played the No. 3 Penn State Nittany Lions in front of a record crowd at Beaver Stadium.

Over 111,000 filled the stadium just to see the home team lose. The Buckeyes came out on top, and Urban Meyer is ready to call it “one of the most impressive wins” for Ryan Day at Ohio State.

He’s not wrong either, and it was a great win for Ohio State. It was quite the praise from the Ohio State coaching legend.

The Buckeyes looked absolutely dominant on the defensive side of the ball, allowing just six points as the Penn State lone touchdown was an interception return for six in the first quarter.

Ohio State didn’t allow more than 50 rushing yards to any single rusher and held the Nittany Lions to just 150 passing yards. It was an impressive effort for arguably the best defense in the nation.

Will Howard didn’t have his best performance, but he did end with 182 yards and two touchdowns, rebounding well after a disappointing first drive. Quinshon Judkins also deserves a mention as the star running back went for 95 rushing yards on just 14 carries.

Nick Sirianni among two coaches remaining from 2021 hiring cycle after Jets fire Robert Saleh

Nick Sirianni and Dan Campbell are among the final two coaches remaining from 2021 hiring cycle after Jets fire Robert Saleh

After being named the Eagles head coach, Nick Sirianni was laughed at and mocked following his introductory press conference. Still, he’s one of the last survivors from the 2021 coaching cycle after the Jets fired Robert Saleh on Tuesday morning.

Adam Schefter reported that defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich will be the interim head coach.

With the move, only Sirianni and the Lions’ Dan Campbell remain as coaching hires from four years ago.

According to ESPN Research, Saleh is now the third head coach fired after losing a game in London. The Raiders fired coach Dennis Allen in 2014 the day after they lost 38-14 to the Miami Dolphins at Wembley Stadium, while the Dolphins fired coach Joe Philbin in 2015 the day after they lost 27-14 to the Jets at Wembley. Saleh’s firing comes two days after the Jets lost 23-17 to the Minnesota Vikings at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Saleh was 20-36 in parts of three seasons as the Jets head coach, including 2-3 in 2024.

Sirianni is 36-19 as Eagles head coach. The team has made three straight playoff appearances, including a Super Bowl loss to the Chiefs in 2022.

Campbell has amassed an even 27-27-1 record in Detroit despite starting 4-19-1 through his first 24 games. He’s delivered the team’s first division title in 30 years and two playoff wins—double the number the franchise had had in the previous 60 years.

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Urban Meyer explains why he picked Florida over Notre Dame

Does this change your perception of him at all?

Many Notre Dame fans likely still haven’t forgiven Urban Meyer for choosing to coach Florida over the program he once worked for. While the Irish ended up with [autotag]Charlie Weis[/autotag], Meyer won two of his eventual three national championships with the Gators. On the surface, Meyer made the right call.

But as Meyer pointed out in the latest episode of “The Triple Option”, he didn’t simply choose the Gators because he liked their program better. It goes back to the Irish having a national footprint as opposed to other programs with more regional footprints.

Since the Irish have a national following, they need to recruit everywhere around the country, and that often means recruiters spending time away from their families. That wasn’t the case with the Gators, who primarily focused on the state of Florida and sometimes Georgia, which meant recruiters could be home on the same day they left to visit prospective players:

https://twitter.com/3xOptionShow/status/1836458992182145384

This probably won’t change some people’s perspectives of Meyer, but at least he’s setting the record straight. He chose to spend more time with his family, and who can fault a man for that?

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Follow Geoffrey on X: @gfclark89

Florida football’s history with the dual quarterback strategy

Graham Mertz and DJ Lagway are expected to get significant playing time vs. Texas A&M, so let’s dive into the Gators’ history with the dual quarterback strategy.

The world of college football is always changing and evolving with new strategies and game plans to help teams have success, but there hasn’t been many that have been as intriguing or debated as the use of the dual quarterback system.

For the Florida Gators football team, this dual quarterback approach to the game is nothing new as they will be using that strategy on Saturday when they play the Texas A&M Aggies.

Head coach Billy Napier announced that both Graham Mertz and DJ Lagway will be playing in the Gators’ Week 3 contest.

Because of that, let’s dive into Florida’s history with the dual quarterback system. Again, it’s not a new concept for the Gators.

The Mid-1980s

The concept of using several quarterbacks goes back to the mid-1980s. The Gators head coach at the time was Galen Hall who was the offensive coordinator for Florida in 1984 before becoming the interim head coach on Sept. 17 of that same year.

Hall was named the interim head coach because the previous coach, Charley Pell, was fired after an NCAA investigation alleged that he and his coaching staff had committed over 100 violations pertaining to the NCAA rules during the previous couple of seasons.

Allsport /Allsport

Because of this, the Florida football program had a two-year bowl ban, scholarships were lost and there were restrictions on recruiting.

Anyway, Hall took over as head coach and began experimenting with different signal-callers. Despite it not being the team’s primary tactic, these early trials were key to shaping the team’s offensive approach.

The Spurrier Era

Florida’s offensive strategy during the 1990s completely evolved under head coach Steve Spurrier.

Spurrier occasionally used a dual quarterback system to exploit different weaknesses in the defense.

Scott Halleran/Getty Images

In 1994, Spurrier used both quarterbacks Terry Dean and Danny Wuerffel. Wuerffel eventually became Florida’s starting quarterback and won the Heisman Trophy in 1996, but Dean’s presence allowed Spurrier to keep the opponents guessing by mixing up the offense. It created a sense of unpredictability with the Gators offensive attack.

Chris Leak and Tim Tebow

Florida’s head coach from 2005-2010 was Urban Meyer who implemented the spread offense.

Meyer didn’t necessarily use the dual quarterback approach as the team’s offensive strategy, but there were instances where multiple quarterbacks played a significant amount of snaps.

During the 2006 season, Chris Leak was Florida’s starting quarterback and Tim Tebow was the backup. Leak was a more proficient passer but didn’t have the skillset to run the ball like Tebow and Meyer knew that. So, Meyer used Tebow several different ways, mainly in goal-line packages and short-yardage situations.

Jason Parkhurst-USA TODAY Sports

By using Tebow’s strength and power, Meyer was able to create mismatches with the defense while also enabling unpredictable play calls. This strategy played a key role in helping the Gators win a national championship that year.

Feleipe Franks and Emory Jones

Skipping ahead to 2018, the dual quarterback system returned to the Gators offense under head coach Dan Mullen.

Mullen utilized both quarterbacks Feleipe Franks and Emory Jones to create an offensive attack that was effective and efficient.

Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images

Franks was the primary starter for Florida because of his arm and ability to throw the deep ball while Jones was a mobile and dynamic alternative.

The strategy that Mullen implemented was to rotate the quarterbacks depending on the situation of the game. Jones was used for designed runs and unpredictability while Franks was used to execute the primary passing game.

Looking back on the strategy

The dual quarterback approach has proved to be an effective strategy given what it’s done in the history of Florida Gators football. Although the dual quarterback system hasn’t been a constant feature of their strategy, its use in crucial seasons shows the Gators’ readiness to innovate and adapt.

As the Gators roll out in the Swamp against Texas A&M on Saturday afternoon, they’ll be implementing the same strategy that has been engraved in the program’s history over the years.

Both Mertz and Lagway will be seeing significant playing time, but it’s up to Napier to find out which quarterback can help his team win when it matters most.

Coming up for the Gators

Florida will play at home in Ben Hill Griffin Stadium against Texas A&M on Saturday, Sept. 14. Kickoff is set for 3:30 p.m. ET and will be broadcast on ABC.

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LOOK. Urban Meyer teaches class in Ann Arbor with ‘Beat Michigan’ shirt.

This has to make Buckeye Nation feel a certain way. #GoBucks

Some things never change, and one of those is the level of trolling in the Ohio State vs. Michigan rivalry.

Former OSU head coach Urban Meyer will forever be undefeated against Michigan, going 7-0 during his time in Columbus, and he’ll always be beloved in Columbus and hated in Ann Arbor because of it.

Never one to let a chance to rub his success at the expense of the Wolverines in their faces, Meyer did so again over the weekend. The Fox Big Noon Kickoff crew was in town for the matchup between Michigan and Texas, and Meyer went into a sports management class to teach a lesson, but did so in the lion’s den.

Meyer didn’t just show up in enemy territory, he did so with a ‘Beat Michigan’ t-shirt on. Watch, as Meyer strolls on campus and walks into the classroom to jeers and boos from Michigan students as he gets hands on with some teaching.

https://twitter.com/BNKonFOX/status/1832408139100254667

There’s no truth to the rumor that Meyer taught the students how to beat your arch rival year, after year, after year, after year, after year, after year, after year.

Contact/Follow us @BuckeyesWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Ohio State news, notes and opinion. Follow Phil Harrison on X.

Urban Meyer questions Notre Dame’s recent reliance on transfer QBs

Is this a fair criticism?

[autotag]Urban Meyer[/autotag] once was Notre Dame’s receivers coach and might be the best assistant coach it ever had who never took over the program.

Now free from the pressures of coaching altogether, he can just talk about football on The Triple Option. It has to be so liberating knowing he doesn’t have people scrutinizing him every second of every day anymore.

While chatting with co-host Rob Stone of Fox Sports, the Irish inevitably came up. Meyer mentioned the program’s recent trend of bringing in transfers as starting quarterback and how teams doing that hasn’t led to many national championships lately:

[autotag]Riley Leonard[/autotag] is following [autotag]Sam Hartman[/autotag] and [autotag]Jack Coan[/autotag] from earlier in this decade. While the Irish aren’t expected to win a national title this season anyway, it does make one wonder how confident they are in their ability to develop homegrown quarterbacks. We’ll see if they showcase that confidence over the rest of the 2020s.

Contact/Follow us @IrishWireND on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Notre Dame news, notes, and opinions.

Follow Geoffrey on Twitter: @gfclark89

Huskers get strong endorsements from Colin Cowherd and Urban Meyer

Nebraska got high praise on a national level earlier this week.

Preseason buzz continues to build for the Nebraska football program, which looks to have its first winning season in eight years. The hype is palpable, with talent on both sides of the football field.

The program will look to clinch a bowl berth for the first time since the 2016 season. Multiple experts are particularly high on Nebraska, and that includes Collin Cowherd and Urban Meyer. Meyer gave a strong endorsement to Rhule in the Nebraska football program in an appearance on The Herd earlier this week. He cited several reasons why he would want to join the program.

“You stole my thunder. I’m a Nebraska fan. You know, if I was a player I love to go to Nebraska. It’s that history, the stadium, the fans are incredible. We coached out there, and they’ve been really down for several years. I was shocked on the sideline a couple of times when we played against them.”

It seems the pieces are in place for Nebraska to have a winning season. Multiple media personalities believe that Nebraska is finally in a place where they can succeed. Meyer continued with his praise of Rhule’s tenure as Cornhusker head coach.

“You know, you talk about a team that didn’t look like Nebraska of old. I just think he’s recruited well. You know, they got the transfer quarterback, Dylan, that is a really good player. I like their coach, their coach knows how to win. He’s won at every level. There’s a difference between winning, and winning at every level. That’s why I got a lot of respect for Matt Rhule.”

They have a favorable start to the schedule, with four of the first five games at Memorial Stadium. Now, it’s just a matter of execution, something the program has faltered in the past couple of seasons.

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