Tag: Urban Meyer

Urban Meyer comments on Mark Dantonio’s shocking retirement announcement

Urban Meyer had many tough battles against Mark Dantonio and Michigan State. He spoke to the Columbus Dispatch about Dantonio’s retirement.

In case you haven’t heard, Michigan State head coach Mark Dantonio has decided to call it a career. He announced his retirement on his Twitter account Tuesday. The timing and fashion in which it was done came as a shock to many, but Dantonio was clear in his intention to spend more time with family and leave the stress and time commitments behind.

If anyone knows about those demands, it’s one of his fiercest former combatants, former Ohio State head coach Urban Meyer.

The Columbus Dispatch spoke to Meyer about the shocking news, and he had nothing but good things to say about Dantonio and the Michigan State program under his guidance.

Mark and I have been friends since his Cincinnati days,” Meyer told The Dispatch. “I think he’s one of the best tacticians in the game of football that I ever coached against.”

That’ some high praise from a future Hall of Famer that’s gone against some pretty remarkable coaches during his career in the SEC and Big Ten. When asked about the Michigan State program under Dantonio, he went on to say that it was a golden era.

“Arguably the greatest era of Michigan State football — the modern era — is Mark Dantonio’s,” Meyer said.

Meyer also touched on some of the heartbreaks administered by Dantonio during the time in which the Spartans and Buckeyes were arguably the two best programs in the Big Ten going toe-to-toe.

The former OSU coach said the 2013 loss to Dantonio’s Spartans in the Big Ten Championship game was a gut punch. It ruined a shot at a national championship for Ohio State. But the 2015 one that was dealt to OSU by the Spartans in the ‘Shoe still haunts him “to this day.” That Buckeye team will go down as one of Ohio State’s most talented teams in the history of the program, but that single loss kept it out of the conversation for a spot in the College Football Playoff.

Sometimes the best combatants end up having the most respect for each other, and that’s clearly the case for Meyer as he reminisced about those battles against Dantonio and Michigan State.

“I’ve always had respect for the Michigan State community and football program,” Meyer said. “I love Michigan State. Since my Notre Dame days (in the 1990s), I’ve thought Michigan State is a great place. They’ll find a great coach.”

Ohio State seems to have found a great one in Ryan Day, now it’s Michigan State’s turn. Could that guy also have Buckeye ties?

 

Kobe Bryant: An everlasting impact on the world

Kobe Bryant might have a complex legacy, but there’s no denying the positive impact he has had during his time on this earth.

Okay, sure we’re an Ohio State site, but Kobe Bryant and his story transcend just one team or one sport. In fact, tragedy and sports are two aspects of life that have been known to bring human beings together. In a world filled with political division and war, our communities are often divisive over a variety of topics. Tragedy or more specifically the deaths of many or an individual bring us together through grief and healing.

So yeah, we’re game in writing about something so very important. And while Bryant may have a complicated past, there’s no denying the good that he’s done.

We all make some impact during our short, fragile time alive, but some individuals are simply larger than life. Some individuals are powerful enough to inspire generations. Kobe Bryant is one of these individuals.

The tragic details of Kobe’s crash

At 9:06 on January 26, 2020, a Sikorsky S-76 helicopter departed from John Wayne Airport in Orange County California with 9 people aboard. Among these nine people were Kobe Bryant and his daughter, Gianna. Nearly 40 minutes later, at 9:45 am, the helicopter crashed in Calabasas, California.

All nine passengers sadly perished to their deaths. The helicopter was on its way to a basketball game in which Gianna and two of her teammates who were also on board were to play in, and Kobe was to coach in.

A media frenzy ensued the crash. Sadly, TMZ reported the news before authorities could notify the victims’ families, and many other news outlets recklessly debated who else was on the helicopter. There were false claims that former Laker Rick Fox was on there, or that the entire Bryant family was on the helicopter.

Authorities would eventually confirm that Kobe Bryant and his daughter Gianna were on the helicopter and passed away, and identified the other 7 passengers. The entire world fell into shock, sadness, and mourning.

Kobe Bryant’s impact on the court and off

Yes, Bryant was a 5-time NBA champion and 2-time Finals MVP, and also win the Most Valuable Player Award once. Yes, he was an 18-time all-star, 11-time First Team All-NBA, and 2-time scoring champion. He has been dubbed the greatest Laker of all time by many, even other Laker greats such as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Magic Johnson.

However, Kobe Bryant was so much more than an all-time great basketball player. He was Oscar winner, a writer, a philanthropist, a husband, and what he viewed as most important, a father. He was the next generations’ Michael Jordan, and inspired countless adolescents to the point where you had to shout “Kobe” when throwing a piece of trash away.

Some hated Kobe for his hyper-aggression with the basketball and mistake his tenacity with selfishness. Most, however, loved him for his passion for life, work ethic, desire to succeed, and his ability to inspire millions. Athletes and coaches alike revered him.

Not only in basketball was he respected, but in all sports. Former Ohio State coach Urban Meyer posted a heartfelt tribute on his twitter just yesterday referring to Bryant as an “elite warrior” and someone he always used as an example to the Buckeyes as someone who was a great leader and competitor, who was tenacious with his legendary “Mamba Mentality”.

An all-time great like Meyer saw what everyone else in Kobe and what every person needs to succeed: a love for life, a passion that fuels your dreams, and work ethic to match.

Other notable athletes such as Shaq and Lebron praised Bryant for his ability to impact the world, and spoke of his character. Bryant was already accomplishing so many great feats post-basketball, as his writing of “Dear Basketball” won him an Oscar, and he had begun to build the game of women’s basketball up even more, investing in his “Mamba Academy.” Out of everything that Bryant accomplished, he always claimed that he was most proud of being a dad to his four daughters.

Putting it all in perspective.

Bryant spoke of Gianna’s love for the game of basketball and enjoyed coaching his daughter and her team, and went to great efforts to get women’s basketball more recognition and respect. Bryant was seen attending many pro games with Gianna, with some going viral with videos of him teaching her the game. Bryant’s efforts as a father have been recognized by almost every athlete and famous figure who made tributes to him as well.

The lasting impression

With so many disagreements over a variety of topics facing our world, we simply cannot disagree how Kobe impacted the world in a substantial way, and has inspired us to come together. ESPN analyst Jay Williams perhaps made one of the most important points speaking of Bryant and Gianna’s death earlier this week while speaking on air.

“I hope that everybody at home, you give the person next to you whatever thing you have wrong in your life with them,” said Williams. “It might be small or big — let that (expletive) go. It doesn’t matter… None of that stuff matters man. This is about life and being precious with every (expletive) second we have here.”

Kobe Bryant may have been viewed as immortal by many of us, a superhero-like figure. His death reminds us how precious and fragile life is, and how important it is to make things right with those we have a conflict with. It reminds us to tell the ones we love that we love them while they are here.

Bryant inspires us to strive to be a great parent, and inspires us to have a daily passion for life and desire to succeed in everything we do. Tell the people you love that you love them, solve the conflicts you have with others big or small, and be thankful for every day you have.

#MambaForLife #GirlsDad #RIPKOBE #RIPGIANNA

Urban Meyer pays his respects to Kobe Bryant via Twitter post

Urban Meyer has always respected the drive and determination of Kobe Bryant. He spoke out in respect to the Laker icon Wednesday.

Sometimes it takes elite champions to really know what makes others in that stratosphere tick. how often have we heard about the drive of some of the greatest competitors thirsting to learn from others that have traveled a similar path?

Urban Meyer has long admired Kobe Bryant. So much so that he had a quote from Bryant up in the Woody Hayes Athletic Center. It goes right at the heart of the “Mamba Mentality.” One in which you set a goal or dream and work your every single day to achieve it.

“I can’t relate to lazy people. We don’t speak the same language. I don’t understand you. I don’t want to understand you.”

Meyer so respected Bryant and his work ethic that he even put that quote in his leadership book titled “Above the Line.” He even drew leadership comparisons between the future NBA Hall of Famer and former Ohio State quarterback J.T. Barrett.

Suffice to say, Meyer admired Kobe and his drive and determination. And now, we have comments from Meyer himself on the tragic helicopter crash that claimed the lives of Bryant and eight other individuals on board. He shared his thoughts via his Twitter feed on Wednesday.

It continues to amaze all the outpouring of support and respect that continues to flock in from all corners of the sporting world — and beyond. Meyer is just one of the latest examples, and it won’t be the last.

Watch what Urban Meyer says is his greatest college football memory

Watch as former Ohio State and Florida head coach Urban Meyer describes his favorite college football memory of all-time.

There are college football memories from us common-folk, then there are college football memories from those that are icons of the sport. Recently, three members of the FOX College Football crew were asked to recount their favorite college football moments. The panel consisted of FOX analyst and former Colorado quarterback Joel Klatt, Former USC quarterback Matt Leinart, and of course former Ohio State and Florida head coach Urban Meyer.

So what do you think Meyer picked as his favorite college football memory? There’s a slew of them for him to be sure, but it might be one a moment plenty of Ohio State fans think of fondly as well.

Of all the national title games, bowls, rivalry games, and other fantastic moments Meyer has been a part of, his favorite memory of all-time is the 2016 contest between Ohio State and Michigan.

“The best moment that I can remember that was a flashback as I was going — I have to go with 2016,” said Meyer. “You know the respect I have, I grew up in the ten-year war — Woody Hayes, Bo Schembechler. You cannot lose that game, hardest game I’ve ever been a part of. Every yard, every second, every inch mattered, and it was double-overtime against That Team Up North. We scored in the second overtime after J.T. DID get that first down, and then he launches himself in the endzone for the big win, and that has to be the best moment that I can remember.”

Click on the below and listen to what Meyer says for yourself.

It’s interesting here that Meyer’s favorite memory comes from his time at Ohio State in a The Game instead of any of the national title games, or contests at the University of Florida.

Once a Buckeye …

The Browns are reportedly interested in Urban Meyer, which sure, why not?

What do the Browns have to lose by going after Urban Meyer? Nothing else has worked.

On Thursday morning, Fox Sports and The Athletic’s Bruce Feldman reported that the Cleveland Browns are interested in possibly hiring former Ohio State head coach Urban Meyer.

Whenever a report like this comes out, you have to think about who is getting the information to the reporter. Is this the Browns putting out public feelers to gauge if Meyer might be interested, and see how the fanbase takes it? Possibly. We also have to remember that Meyer works with Feldman at Fox now (he is an analyst for FS1). It could also be that Meyer really is their No. 1 target, and they’re trying everything they can to make it happen.

However it got out, let’s get to the big question: Should they hire him?

Forgive me for being cynical here, but honestly: Why not? Nothing else has worked in Cleveland. They’ve gone with hungry position coaches and disciplinarians and established veterans and they all failed spectacularly. So, sure, roll the dice with someone who’s never coached at this level.

Would Meyer be a great NFL coach? No idea. Dan Wolken made a pretty strong argument against him making a successful transition over at USA TODAY Sports, and he makes some compelling points. Meyer was an excellent recruiter, which has much less value at the pro level. (Other than convincing the occasional free agent, most talent recruitment is out of the coach’s hands.)

Meyer’s other great strength, Wolken argues, was in motivation — he knew how to get the most out of young men. This has some application at the pro level, but many coaches find that the “rah rah team!” stuff doesn’t work quite the same with seasoned pros as it does with teenagers.

I have no doubt the Browns would at least be interested in at least kicking the tires, here. The bigger issue: I just don’t think Meyer would be all that interested. Meyer has walked away from coaching twice now citing health issues, and has a good gig doing TV for Fox.

The Browns have run through coach after coach. They’ve got power structure issues (the GM John Dorsey was forced out this week, and it appears Paul DePodesta will be running the team now) and ownership issues and all sorts of other issues. Meyer has a nice job doing TV, and why on Earth would he walk away from that to deal with all of [gestures broadly at the Browns franchise].

Last note: This hire might not be a slam dunk with all Browns fans, either. Yes, Meyer did big things at Ohio State. But some fans may feel that Meyer hasn’t adequately answered questions about what he knew when regarding his ex-assistant coach Zach Smith, who was fired from Ohio State after multiple domestic violence allegations against him were made public. Smith was arrested in May for violating a protection order against him.

So, yeah. There are a lot of questions about Meyer here. Sadly, for the Browns, I’m not sure that’s enough to deter them. Nothing else has worked. Maybe this will. I don’t have many other, better ideas.

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Browns reportedly have strong interest in former Ohio State head coach Urban Meyer

Per a report from Bruce Feldman of the athletic, sources have informed him that the Browns have very high interest in Urban Meyer.

It’s the gift that just keeps giving, even after the Christmas season has passed.

According to a report from Bruce Feldman of The Athletic, the Cleveland Browns have a strong desire to try and sway former Ohio State coach Urban Meyer to come out of retirement and head up the much-maligned organization. This is according to sources Feldman has been in contact with.

There were of course sources stating as much a couple of weeks back as well, but now that Freddie Kitchens has been fired, and the Browns and GM John Dorsey have parted ways, it appears as though things are beginning to heat up again in the Cleveland front office.

Meyer has been out of coaching since announcing his retirement after the Michigan game in 2018. Since then he has had his hand in several off the field projects and jobs ranging from being an analyst on FOX’s Big Noon Kickoff Show, to helping to open a new restaurant in Columbus.

It’s clear Meyer’s name will continue to surface with high profile job opening, but as we’ve said all along, what is unclear is whether or not his health and desire will allow the stars to align with anything.

We’ll be on top of this news if anything further comes of it.

Watch: Former Ohio State head coach Urban Meyer, proud of Ryan Day

Ryan Day sat with Urban Meyer and the BTN crew after the loss in the Fiesta Bowl. Meyer showed a lot of pride with his comments.

The days are slowly ticking by on a loss that will forever haunt an Ohio State team that had the goods to win it all in 2019. The Buckeyes outplayed defensing national champion Clemson for large portions of the Fiesta Bowl Saturday night, but couldn’t seem to catch a break — ultimately falling when Justin Fields’ pass in the end zone was picked off with 37 seconds left on the clock.

There’s no doubt the loss still stings for new head coach Ryan Day, and it’ll take some significant time to get over it. Still, he handled himself with class afterwards and now it’s time to focus on recruiting and working on next year’s run towards big things.

There’s one guy in Day’s corner though at all times, and it’s former Ohio State head coach Urban Meyer. Day sat down with the crew of the Big Ten Network after the game Saturday to dissect a little of what we saw Saturday night, and Meyer sat to his left.

If was a rather far-reaching interview, but at the end Meyer consoles Day and swells with pride on what he and the team did this year.

“I know I’m working at BTN right now, but I’m proud of you, brother,” said Meyer. “And I’m proud of Ohio State football, the way they played, the way they scrapped. And that was a hell of a team, hell of a year and you come back, have a great team coming back, and the future’s bright. Recruiting is strong at Ohio State. You’ve got a great head football coach and his staff.”

Those are really strong, personal and attention grabbing words from Urban Meyer. You can watch the entire interview thanks to the video shared by the Twitter feed of BTN.

Predicting what Redskins decisions will be made over next several days

Washington will likely hire a coach and name a new general manager over the next few days, so we offered our predictions on who they name.

The Washington Redskins got the job done on Sunday.

Of course, that ‘job’ was losing to the Dallas Cowboys in Week 17, ensuring that they finish the 2019 season with three wins, 13 losses, and the No. 2 draft pick in the 2020 NFL Draft. Now that the regular season is over, the real fun and games can begin.

Over the next several weeks, or possibly the next several days, Dan Snyder and the Redskins will make a few decisions that potentially change the future outlook of the team, and could get them back onto a winning path in Washington.

Obviously, we can’t predict the future, but let’s break down what we feel is likely to happen with the Redskins over the next few days.

Redskins Name Marvin Lewis as Head Coach

His name was the most recent to pop up on the Redskins’ coaching wish list, and that could end up being the biggest indicator that he will be the next in line in Washington.

Lewis may not be the biggest name that the Redskins could hire, but he is a source of stability, and whether Washington fans will admit it or not, he possesses a load of experience in the NFL and has found ways to get the job done in the regular season. His 0-7 playoff record in 16 years with the Cincinnati Bengals is definitely troubling, but a perfect coaching hire might not exist for Washington. Eric Bienemy and Mike McCarthy are likely to take better jobs, and Ron Rivera might weigh his options for longer than the Redskins want to wait.

Put Eric Schaffer in Charge of Football Operations

Bruce Allen was relieved of his duties regarding football operations over the weekend, which is the first and most necessary step towards ridding the Redskins of his fingerprints. With Allen taking a refocused role that has little to do with the on-field product, Washington will be looking for someone to take over player personnel and football ops, likely under the name of General Manager. A few big names like Urban Meyer and Lous Riddick have been floated, but it seems unlikely that such a big fish would take on the undesirable job of remaking the Redskins. Rather, we think that Eric Schaffer is the right man for the job.

Schaffer is already in the building, where he currently acts as the Senior Vice President of Football Operations. He has been with the team for 17 seasons and has recently taken on a bigger role in personnel decisions and contract negotiations. Schaffer is often credited with a lot of Washington’s draft success over the past couple of seasons, and he would likely be able to step into a bigger GM-type role seamlessly.

Fire Defensive Coordinator Greg Manusky

Manusky has coached his last game for the Redskins, that much has been made obviously clear. The Redskins gave up TK points again on Sunday against the Cowboys, which is the eighth time this season they’ve given up 30-plus.

Manusky was rumored to be close to an exit last season, but the team kept him on and actually allowed a decent amount of buzz to build before the season, with the Redskins defense looking like it might be pretty decent. That all came crashing down in the first few weeks of the year, and since then it’s been a race to the finish. There have not yet been many words on who the Redskins would look to replace Manusky at the DC position, but we know that Manusky is not long for the job.

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Dan Snyder hopes to name a new Redskins head coach on Monday

It could end up being a highly eventful Black Monday in Washington as the team looks to hire a new coach and GM.

Black Monday — the first day of the offseason for all teams who failed to make the playoffs — is guaranteed to be an interesting one for the Washington Redskins.

News broke on Saturday night that team owner Dan Snyder hopes to make some significant changes to the day-to-day operations for the football team, which could see team president Bruce Allen overseeing less of the football operations in Washington.

It is now also being reported that Snyder would like to announce a new head coach hiring on Monday — a day when most struggling franchises choose to cut ties with their play-callers. There are several names that have been floated to take over the head job, including Ron Rivera, Marvin Lewis, and Eric Bienemy. Whoever accepts the job seemingly won’t have to answer to Allen anymore, says The Washington Posts Les Carpenter.

Whoever the new coach is, it appears increasingly likely he won’t be reporting to Allen. Several people with knowledge of the situation said Allen will move to a different role inside the organization, one that probably will involve overseeing the building of a new stadium — one of Snyder’s highest priorities.

If the coaching position is filled on Monday, that will leave Snyder the GM role to worry about, and there have been a few intriguing names floated for that position as well. Certain big-time options like Urban Meyer or Louis Riddick have been thrown out, but there is no real traction on whether or not those people are being seriously considered, or are seriously considering the job.

Whoever ends up filling the vacant roles in Washington, though, is likely to step into their new position on Monday. While several teams around the league are looking to rid of their coaches and start anew, the Redskins could be getting a jump on the rebuilding game, and start building for the future.

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WATCH: Urban Meyer reportedly could be target to take over Browns

In keeping with the tradition of 2019, Urban Meyer has been named as a possible replacement for a coach that hasn’t been fired yet.

In keeping with the tradition of 2019, Urban Meyer has been named as a possible replacement for a coach that hasn’t been fired yet.

CBS Sports’ Jason La Canfora writes that the former Ohio State coach is a possibility to lead the Cleveland Browns, a job that currently belongs to first-year head coach Freddie Kitchens.

La Canfora cites a “very strong bond” between Meyer and Browns owner Jimmy Haslam, calling the two confidants. La Canfora also notes that Meyer is still highly respected in the area for his run with the Ohio State Buckeyes, who won a national championship for the 2014 season under his guidance.

Meyer’s name has been tossed into conversations for the Dallas Cowboys’ job (still occupied by Jason Garrett) and the Washington Redskins’ job (occupied by interim head coach Bill Callahan). He was also mentioned in speculation to take over at USC before the Trojans opted to retain Clay Helton.