The old adage about a leopard being unable to change its spots applies very well to the Ohio State Buckeyes and head coach Urban Meyer.
During their inspiring run to the first ever College Football Playoff National Championship, the past transgressions of both the institution and its head coach were forgotten. Many college football fans that had SEC Fatigue were thrilled to see the Big Ten rise from the ashes to win it all. For the rabid Buckeyes fan base it was deliverance from the evil of mediocrity and NCAA sanctions.
Meyer was celebrated as a new and more mature man and leader after he took a year off to recharge the batteries, following an ugly ending at the University of Florida. Meyer departed Florida after winning two national championships, but also left behind a program that terrorized the campus, turning Gainesville into Gangs-ville with players like Aaron Hernandez running rampant and a plethora of player arrests and incidents.
The events that took place at Ohio State on National Signing Day 2015 were a stark reminder about many of the past transgressions of both Ohio State and Meyer. Signing Day was a culture shock revelation into the program and its coach. The goodwill that OSU and Meyer earned last season is quickly being depleted as college football fans were reminded about all that they despised about Ohio State and Meyer.
Bait and Switch
ESPN top 300 player and four-star running back Mike Weber was a Michigan commit that later flipped to Ohio State. His decisions were in part based on the Wolverines recent struggles and the hard recruiting of Ohio State and running backs coach Stan Drayton. When Jim Harbaugh took over as head coach of Michigan, it was thought that perhaps Weber would potentially again flip to remain in his home state to play in the Big House for the Maize and Blue.
It was Drayton’s job to save the star recruit for Ohio State and he did indeed deliver the goods. Weber signed a binding letter of intent with Ohio State on National Signing Day. Drayton then immediately signed with the Chicago Bears the following day to serve as running backs coach. It was a classic bait and switch that also revealed this absolute worst about college football and its rot gut recruiting wars.
Drayton reportedly cozied up to Weber and formulated an image of being a big brother that would look after Weber and develop him into a NFL star, as the Buckeyes would power their way to more national championships. There can be no doubt that during the time Drayton was wooing Weber to Columbus, he was also talking to the Bears in his free moments. You don’t just take a NFL assistant coaching position in 20 seconds.
Weber is now stuck in Columbus after tweeting about how hurt he was in regards to Drayton’s departure. Weber was misled and disrespected on a national stage. He was played for a fool and talked out of signing with Harbaugh and a Michigan program that is about to enter a new era of glory. He was conned out of playing for his home state team and a head coach that would truly look after his best interests.
The Real Culprit
Once again a college football program led by Meyer has been revealed to be less than above board. Meyer again played the part of a classic mafia don that was several layers removed from an actual transgression. But as the saying goes, a fish rots from the head down.
To many, Meyer is a cold, calculating and ruthless liar. Those may, in fact, be necessary attributes for long term coaching success in college football, but they should not be masked with a false image of being an innocent Father Flannigan type.
Fans recall Meyer’s promises to stay in Utah as head coach of the Utes only to cut and run to Florida. In Gainesville, Meyer preached high morals and ethics as his Florida players tore up the town. After failing to keep pace with Nick Saban and the Alabama Crimson Tide, he called in sick and used failing health as an excuse to cut and run from a program that was imploding and is yet to recover from its bad ending with Meyer. Meyer may have fooled some fans with his success this year but this recruiting incident has cleared everyone’s vision as to what and who he really is.
There are few secrets among a coaching staff and Meyer no doubt knew about Drayton flirting with the Bears. Had Meyer had any honor at all, he would have assigned another coach or himself to close Weber. Instead, he went along with the bait and switch. It’s all part of the culture that he has created in Columbus.
C-Bus Celebrates
If you want to know the character of Ohio State football then look no further than the scandal from two years ago. Former head coach Jim Tressel, who had to resign in disgrace for lying to the NCAA, and orchestrating an attempted cover up, was carried on the shoulders of his former players to a resounding and thundering standing ovation at the Horseshoe. To Ohio State fans, the self-described educator known as “The Senator” remains a conquering hero, despite the lying and cheating.
Last season, Ohio State and Meyer had some of us fooled for a brief moment of weakness. They should now be thanked for reminding us as to who and what they truly are.
