Urban Meyer will go down as a top ten, maybe top five, college coach of all time. When he retires for good, people will look back fondly on his Bowling Green days, to Utah, Florida, Ohio State, and wherever he goes next. However, it is possible to be remembered as a good coach, but not a good person.
Urban the Coach
As I said, Urban Meyer can coach, and you can’t deny that. Achieving an 83.5% win percentage is no laughing matter. Neither are his three national titles, second among active coaches. Not only did he win, but he made mediocre players look good doing it. He won with Tim Tebow, a quarterback notorious for his inability to throw. Tebow also won a Heisman under Urban. Once Tebow got away from Urban, the world saw just how problematic having a running back at QB could be (that is essentially what Tebow was in the NFL.) Once Urban took time off “for health reasons,” he returned to the sidelines at Ohio State. During his tenure, Urban won another National Championship with his third string quarterback. A lesser coach would not have been able to do that.
Urban the Man
Before I go all in on Urban Meyer off the field, I feel the need to say I don’t think he is a bad person. He has been married to his wife, Shelley, for 32 years without speculation of infidelity. In addition to this, Urban has been very active in philanthropy, raising money for Florida and Utah scholarships (the latter being after he left Utah.) However, I do not believe Urban is an angel.
Urban Meyer and Zach Smith
Urban Off the Field
Coach Meyer has been plagued with controversy his last two coaching stops. During his time as a Gator, 31 of Urban’s players were arrested for crimes as petty as underage drinking to as serious as credit card fraud and aggravated stalking. Towards the end of his tenure there, Florida started going down hill. After going blown beaten 32-13 in the 2009 SEC Championship, Urban took a leave of absence. The following season, he would return to the Gator’s sideline and lead them to a 7-5 record. After that season, he “retired,” citing health reasons, mainly concerning his heart. However, after a stint on ESPN, Urban’s heart problems miraculously disappeared. Less than a year after his retirement, he joined Ohio State, and even won a third national title there. It was smooth sailing until this past offseason, when the Zach Smith incident occurred. As a refresher, Urban allegedly knew about Zach Smith’s domestic abuse situation, but did not report it, violating Title IX regulations. After a lengthy investigation, Ohio State suspended Urban to start the season. On December 4th, Urban announced he would retire after Ohio State’s bowl game against Washington. After that announcement, what will he be remembered for?
The Legacy of Urban Meyer
With his final game fast approaching, now is a good time to look at Urban Meyer and what his mark was on college football. Urban was able to turn programs into gold wherever he went, turning teams around with ease. Urban Meyer is a great coach, and there is no denying that. With that being said, he will also be a tale of caution for any coaches who tries to only focus on what happens on the field.
