I've seen how unreasonable the media is towards Belichick and those who are known to be close to him (this includes Urban Meyer and Greg Schiano). They were just relentless toward Meyer at the start of the season, and the university did him no favors.
I'm just saying, if it were me, either that or the health issues would have been enough for me to walk away. There's a sense of honor and loyalty that go beyond a coaching job, like how Meyer stood up for Schiano despite the full out assault on him when Schiano was going to take the Volunteers head coaching job.
I hope Meyer does what's best for him and his family. That probably means hanging them up, but oftentimes medical issues can be cured, and he might get that itch to coach again. If he does that, more power to him.
If Urban ends up coaching again, lets see what OSU fans say.
And this is where we agree, yet for entirely different reasons.
When it's "your team" your emotions get involved. Being impartial is a difficult thing to do. Bias influences your thinking.
See, to me, whether Meyer feels he was thrown under the bus by OSU or whether it's an actual health problem makes no difference to me. Employers feel no sense of loyalty to their employees and for the life of me I don't see how reality would dictate that people feel when the shoe is placed on the other foot that employees should feel loyalty towards employers.
Yes I know, there's the players, the university and and the fans. But to a coach it's a job. Meyer had brain surgery only a short time after leaving Florida. Now how one "feels" about that is just that. How they feel. But the evidence here dictates there were health issues. And severe ones at that.
You are right though. As fans often times they think with their hearts and not their heads. So I would expect we'll see a backlash if he coaches again. I just won't be joining the mob.
Intoducing for The Cleveland Browns, Quarterback Deshawn "The Predator" Watson. He will also be the one to choose your next head coach.
I will have zero problems w/Urban if he takes another job. In fact, the day the university gave him a 3 game suspension, I said I would quit if I were Urban. The university succumbed to media and public pressure and tried to save face by disciplining a man that didn't deserve the discipline.
I'm an Ohio State fan and always will be. I won't root for Urban's new team should he coach again, but I would have no problem w/him if he wanted to coach again.
Today was the 2019 Early Signing Period for college football teams. Unfortunately, my biggest concern about Urban's retirement is already rearing its ugly head. The Buckeyes fell to number 20 in Rival's recruiting rankings. We also lost one of our top recruits to Alabama today.
Urban was a great recruiter and losing him is already proving to be a detriment to the program.
Justin Fields Transfer Watch: Eight Potential Landing Spots for the Talented QB
Sports Illustrated Scooby Axson,Sports Illustrated Tue, Dec 18 12:40 PM EST
If Justin Fields leaves Athens, will he stay in the SEC or head to a more far-flung contender? There should be no shortage of teams interested in bringing in one of the most talented young QBs in the country.
With the reports of Georgia freshman quarterback Justin Fields exploring, dozens of quarterback-needy schools will be lining up for the services of the dual-threat talent that some outlets considered the top prospect in the class of 2018.
Fields’s unique situation is explained here in detail by SI’s Andy Staples, but under new NCAA transfer guidelines, Fields has a strong case to receive a waiver for immediate eligibility, and players no longer have to request permission to transfer from a school, which leaves him a bevy of options as he contemplates where he will play college football next.
Fields’s season on the field was uneventful compared with the exploits of recent five-star freshmen. He did play in all 12 games, completing 27 of 39 passes for 328 yards with four touchdowns and no interceptions, and he was the player who infamously ended up with the ball on the ill-fated fake punt attempt late in the Bulldogs’ SEC title game loss to Alabama. But he rarely operated the offense in full and often spelled Fromm as a change-of-pace dual-threat option.
Fields could always come back to Georgia and spend the 2019 season on the bench if Jake Fromm stays healthy and remains the starter, but several big-name programs will keep a close watch on this potential high-profile transfer.
Let’s take a closer look at some potential landing spots for Fields should he officially decide to transfer.
Ohio State
The Buckeyes certainly aren’t hurting for talent at the quarterback position, with rising redshirt sophomore Tate Martell, a 5'11", 210-pound dual-threat, waiting in the wings to take over should Dwayne Haskins head for the NFL. Ryan Day is taking over for Urban Meyer, but Buckeyes quarterbacks will still be expected to play a big role in the running game, which suits Fields’s dynamic skill set.
Florida
Though Florida’s offense improved over the course of the season, it remained inconsistent to the point where Feleipe Franks and his limitations were a season-long point of conversation. Fields’s arrival on campus would perhaps push Franks to be better as the presence of Kyle Trask and Emory Jones have in the past calendar year, but Dan Mullen’s history as a developer of quarterbacks could certainly hold some sway.
Oklahoma
This one is a no-brainer. The last two starting quarterbacks for the Sooners have been transfers who went on to win Heisman Trophies and led their teams to the College Football Playoff. Any quarterback would be served well under Lincoln Riley’s system, which requires precision passing and features elements that pro teams have borrowed. If Fields wants to make himself the most attractive NFL prospect possible, this might be the best option.
LSU
LSU has been searching for above-average quarterback play for a while, and Fields could bring the kind of excitement that could bring Tigers offensive coordinator Steve Ensminger’s unit close to matching Tigers defensive coordinator Dave Aranda’s unit. Graduate transfer Joe Burrow stepped up in several big moments, but the Tigers threw for fewer than 200 yards in seven games this season and threw only 13 touchdown passes. Any semblance of a vertical passing threat, which Fields possesses, could give them an attack to scare Alabama for the next few years.
Penn State
Fields originally verbally committed to Penn State in December 2016, only to change his mind six months later, claiming his decommitment was “in no ways a reflection of any deficiencies of PSU, its coaches, players or fans.” He landed at Georgia in October ’17. Whatever the case for the switch, if the fit that once drew Fields to Happy Valley is still intact, he could be the player head coach James Franklin needs to get the Nittany Lions over the hump and into the playoff.
Auburn
While Auburn is the closest campus on this list to Fields’s hometown of Kennesaw, Ga., the ever-present coaching drama complicates matters for a team losing Jarrett Stidham to the pros. No one knows if Gus Malzahn will be there beyond next season, and another subpar year could mean wholesale changes, but the way Fields was used as a freshman in Athens hints at what could be unlocked if he was placed at the controls of Malzahn’s offense. Florida State
The Seminoles have two quarterbacks on the roster, junior Deondre Francois and redshirt sophomore James Blackman, and neither one of them was able to keep a rebuilding 2018 team from snapping the program’s 36-year streak of postseason appearances. Fields’s dual-threat skills could help mitigate a porous offensive line and could stabilize the offense as head coach Willie Taggert continues to stockpile talent.
UCLA
Here’s a wild-card choice based solely on a potential fit of skill set and scheme. There hasn’t been any word of Fields wanting to head out west, but with Chip Kelly’s pedigree and the offense that he runs, it’s worth taking a look at, and after having a racial slur directed at him during a game, Fields may be interested in getting some distance from his home state. The Pac-12 South has had four coaching changes in the last two seasons, meaning one difference maker at quarterback could get the Bruins competitive in a hurry. Dorian Thompson-Robinson didn’t do enough as a true freshman to write off Kelly opening up the quarterback competition to newcomers.
With Justin Fields drama percolating, 4-star QB Dwan Mathis flips from Ohio State to Georgia
Yahoo Sports Sam Cooper,Yahoo Sports 10 hours ago
With Justin Fields almost certainly transferring, Georgia was in the market for a quarterback to add to its 2019 recruiting class.
And it got one on Wednesday out from under a school that is very much in the hunt for Fields: Ohio State.
At a ceremony at his school Wednesday morning, Dwan Mathis, a four-star QB recruit from Oak Park, Michigan, announced his commitment to Georgia. Mathis had been committed to Ohio State since June, but Georgia made a late charge for Mathis while Fields, a five-star recruit from the 2018 class, put his name in the NCAA’s transfer database earlier this week.
What does this mean for Georgia?
Mathis is quite the late addition for Georgia. He is rated by Rivals.com as the second-best dual-threat quarterback in the 2019 class and the No. 102 overall prospect in the country.
Georgia is actually the fourth school Mathis has committed to during his recruitment. As a sophomore, Mathis made a verbal pledge to Iowa State before switching to in-state Michigan State as a junior. From there, he switched to Ohio State before finally announcing his commitment to Georgia in the early signing period Wednesday.
With Fields out of the picture and John Plumlee, a three-star UGA commitment, not expected to sign during the early signing period (UGA is asking Plumlee to blueshirt), the Bulldogs were looking at the possibility of having just one scholarship quarterback — starter Jake Fromm — on the roster after the season ended.
Now, the 6-foot-4 Mathis is in the fold. What does this mean for Ohio State?
According to Yahoo Sports’ Pete Thamel, Ohio State is expected to lose star quarterback Dwayne Haskins, who finished third in the Heisman voting, to the NFL draft.
While Haskins will play in the Rose Bowl, the confluence of his insane finish – 14 touchdown passes and three more rushing in the final three games – and a weak high-end quarterback crop make his NFL decision a formality. As early as October, his quarterback coach Quincy Avery told Yahoo Sports: “If he has a first-round grade, he’s going to be playing in the NFL next year.” His arm talent is rare enough that scouts don’t see him getting past the first round.
Fields, the No. 2 overall recruit in 2018, could potentially fill the void left behind by Haskins. Thamel reported Tuesday night that Ohio State and Oklahoma are the two “clear-cut choices” for Fields, who will attempt to appeal to the NCAA for immediate eligibility in 2019.
Putting the Fields situation aside, Ohio State has plenty of other quarterbacks on the roster, including Tate Martell, a top-40 recruit from the 2017 class who has served as Haskins’ backup this season. The Buckeyes also have Matthew Baldwin, a four-star 2018 recruit, on the roster. According to Thamel, Baldwin has impressed during his time at OSU but is not considered ready to see the field just yet.
Ohio State can’t afford to miss on a five-star prospect just down the road from the in-state powerhouse football program. Those types of players with such proximity don’t come around every recruiting cycle.
Thus, Urban Meyer made Zach Harrison a priority a couple years ago, and Ryan Day had him atop the list of targets in the 2019 class when he was announced as the program’s soon-to-be head coach on Dec. 4.
“This was one of those ones we had to win,” Day said at his early signing period press conference on Wednesday. “He's down the street, and so that was a big get for us.”
At different points in the past year, both Michigan and Penn State seemed to have an edge on the Buckeyes, who desperately wanted the Olentangy Orange defensive end. But on Wednesday afternoon at a private ceremony with more than 15,000 people watching a livestream on Periscope, Harrison announced his commitment to Ohio State, which came more than two years after Meyer and Larry Johnson began recruiting him.
“It's been a long process,” Day said. “His head coach, Zebb Schroeder, had a lot to do with this. Larry Johnson has been recruiting Zach for a long, long time. Obviously Urban had a big part of this thing, and it's been a long time coming.”
Last week, Day and his coaching staff had their final in-home visit with Harrison, the No. 4 overall prospect in the country and the top player in the state of Ohio.
Day said he came away from the meeting with Harrison and his family feeling that “there was a connection made there.” He noted Johnson’s multi-year relationship with the Harrison family as being a key to landing the 6-foot-5, 243-pound defensive end. Day felt that by the end of the process, Ohio State’s coaching staff had earned the trust of the Harrison family to “take care of their son.”
“It was really important to sit down in the home and talk to the family about the direction of the program, and having some communication just on some of the leadership changes obviously that comes with the change in the head coach,” Day said. “And that communication stayed all the way until last night.”
As the top-ranked player to sign with Ohio State since Terrelle Pryor in 2008, Harrison will enter the program with ambitious expectations both for himself and foisted upon him from others. Those will only be increased due to his proximity to campus and the mysteriousness of his recruitment.
Harrison has the natural talent that is hard to overlook, including to Day.
“When you look at somebody who runs a 10.8 100-meter dash at his size and the potential that he has, all you think of is the Bosas of the world and some of the top defensive ends in all of America,” Day said. “He thought this thing through. This wasn't something he just jumped to, and obviously being under Larry's tutelage, that's a big part of this thing. And so it isn't all going to happen at once, but the ceiling for Zach is really, really high.”
Johnson has pumped out successful college defensive ends who have turned out to be high-level NFL players.
Just last year, the Buckeyes rotated four NFL defensive ends: Nick Bosa, Tyquan Lewis, Sam Hubbard and Jalyn Holmes. Chase Young, who will likely play one season with Harrison before heading to the draft, has a chance to become a first-round pick.
Harrison hopes to become the next player in the extensive list of collegiate studs Johnson has coached to make it to the next level, and given his freaky natural gifts, he has a head start.
On the brink of announcing the most significant decision of his life, Zach Harrison briefly fumbled with a zipper. Harrison, the five-star defensive end prospect choosing among Ohio State, Penn State and Michigan, stood behind a podium in front of hundreds of classmates gathered at his high school’s auditorium on Wednesday prepared for his big reveal. “It’s been a long process, but I’ve decided to continue my academic and football career at, uh,” Harrison said, grabbing the top zipper of his hooded jacket and yanking it down to reveal a scarlet T-shirt, “THE Ohio State University!”
Harrison’s commitment on Day 1 of the early signing period reminds us all that OSU, with or without Urban Meyer, can win the biggest Midwest recruiting battles with its Big Ten neighbors. Harrison provided new coach Ryan Day with a much-needed jolt after a pair of defections, quelled fear that the Buckeyes’ class would come crumbling down because of Meyer’s retirement, and has OSU in position to complete one of the nation’s best signing groups come February. In all, Ohio State signed 15 players on Wednesday, grabbing a pair of non-committed guys (Harrison and three-star defensive tackle Jaden McKenzie) while losing two commitments to the SEC (defensive back Jordan Battle to Alabama and quarterback Dwan Mathis to Georgia).
The former was expected (Battle flirted with the Tide for a while). The latter was not (Mathis didn’t even visit UGA). Mathis served as the lone quarterback commit in OSU’s class, leaving Day in scramble mode ahead of the traditional signing date in February. The move left many shocked and looking for answers. Was this because of Urban!? No, many assumed Mathis’ flip involved OSU’s reported pursuit of Georgia transfer quarterback Justin Fields. It did involve Fields, Mathis told the Detroit Free Press, but it had nothing to do with the Buckeyes’ pursuit of him. Fields’ departure from UGA’s roster opened a spot for Mathis. “I’ve been wavering back and forth for the last couple of days,’’ he said. “I decided to go to Georgia because my chances of playing.’’ And, thus, the next six weeks for Day is to find a quarterback. Many expect starter Dwayne Haskins to turn pro, leaving the Buckeyes with just two returning scholarship quarterbacks in 2019, Tate Martell and Matthew Baldwin. That’s two QBs short of the number Day prefers to keep on his roster.
Meanwhile, Ohio State snatched Harrison in one of the bigger signing-day decisions Wednesday, wrestling the talented end from North Columbus away from James Franklin and Jim Harbaugh. OSU still owns this territory, even with a new leader. The Buckeyes signed more five stars (3) than Michigan and Penn State combined (2). And while their overall team ranking (12th) trails the No. 7 Wolverines and 10th-ranked Nittany Lions, the class’ quality is no slouch. In fact, according to 247Sports, OSU’s group has the third-best individual player rating, as Day noted in his opening comments to reporters Wednesday. Ohio State’s 16 ranked commitments are two fewer than PSU and 11 fewer than Michigan’s group of 27. Day’s roster spots are limited for this signing class because of a small departing senior class. In order to stay under the NCAA scholarship limit of 85, the Buckeyes won’t bring in a full 25. No matter, says Meyer, this class is “great.”
“Recruiting is all about being genuine and caring deeply for a player,” the out-going coach said in an interview on Big Ten Network. “Ryan has been a part of that. He’s embraced it and he’s great at it.” Recruiting is the lifeblood of any college program, and so concerns over OSU’s 2019 class were real given this hectic fall, from the emergence of the Zach Smith scandal in August to Meyer’s retirement two weeks ago. In all, the Buckeyes lost four commitments, counting the two flips Wednesday and the two earlier this fall (inside linebacker Kane Patterson signed with Clemson, and running back Sampson James signed with Indiana). “Everyone has de-commits,” says Steve Wiltfong, director of recruiting for 247Sports. “Urban would have defections too.”
In fact, a year ago at this time, Ohio State lost three commitments in LB Brenton Cox (Georgia), QB Emory Jones (Florida) and S Jaiden Woodbey (Florida State). At least one former major college head coach believes it's a positive that Meyer is out-going given the Smith scandal. “If I was recruiting against him, I’d go into mom's house 'You think that guy can tell the truth? He's the biggest liar in college football,’” the ex-coach told Sports Illustrated under the condition of anonymity. “Other coaches are going to be able to hammer him. Thing is, kids beg to go to Ohio State. You can put whoever as head coach.”
Time will tell if that’s true. Meyer’s recruiting success in Columbus runs deep. In his seven years, the Buckeyes have finished no worse than seventh in 247Sports’ composite team recruiting rankings, and they were No. 2 in each 2018 and 2017. “Urban is one of the greatest head coach recruits of all time. He was a rock star,” Wiltfong says. “He’s famous. Recruits gravitated to him. No head coach put in more time courting kids. Urban Meyer didn’t need an introduction. Ryan Day walks in the room right now and my wife doesn’t know who he is, but there was a time people didn’t know who Urban was.”
Day’s first class Wednesday lacks the top-five ranking, mostly because of quantity, but it does have big fish. The Buckeyes kept home the best player in the state, Harrison, and he joins two other five-star players that OSU plucked from Georgia and Texas. The three words in Harrison’s announcement graphic he tweeted Wednesday punctuated OSU’s first Meyer-less signing day in eight years with an exclamation point. “I’m stayin home.”
Today was the 2019 Early Signing Period for college football teams. Unfortunately, my biggest concern about Urban's retirement is already rearing its ugly head. The Buckeyes fell to number 20 in Rival's recruiting rankings. We also lost one of our top recruits to Alabama today.
Urban was a great recruiter and losing him is already proving to be a detriment to the program.
I think that's normal that there might be a bit of uneasiness with recruits after Meyer is gone. Nobody knows if Day is for real and how long he might last.
As you posted, if they can get that Georgia QB, that might go a long way in showing confidence in OSU's future. Fields is a high profile transfer and could pave the way for other guys on the fence.
IMO, I think it will really come down to how well they play this year (duh). If they can be in the top 6 and beat Michigan, the recruits will see OSU as if Meyer never left. If they struggle and lose to Michigan, that could hurt and spell doom for Day's future. I think Meyer's departure also impacted Harbough's wanting to stay. If there is any year to flip the momentum, it's this next year.
On another note, there was talk of the playoff committee talking 8 teams and soon, even before the current agreement expires. The Big10 and Pac10 are quite pissed about missing the top 4 again. I guess there is planned meeting early January to discuss changing the system. If they do change, I'd hope they go 6 first (two byes). I'd rather "baby step" the change than just jump in with 8 teams, but that may be the unavoidable future.
“...Iguodala to Curry, back to Iguodala, up for the layup! Oh! Blocked by James! LeBron James with the rejection!”
Fields would be a great coup for the Buckeyes. Wasn't he the number one qb and/or recruit when he came out of high school?
I see there are a lot of different rankings out there. ESPN, Rivals, 247 Sports, Scout.com. Some of the rankings are quite different. Do you know which one has the best reputation? I always thought Rivals and ESPN were the top two, but I'm not sure about that. Do you follow college football enough to help educate us?
From what I have read, the limited number of scholarships the Buckeyes have available (because of limited senior graduations this year) has hurt their grade. The quality of our class is outstanding, but the numbers lag behind other schools.
Micah 6:8; He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.
John 14:19 Jesus said: Because I live, you also will live.
Fields would be a great coup for the Buckeyes. Wasn't he the number one qb and/or recruit when he came out of high school?
I see there are a lot of different rankings out there. ESPN, Rivals, 247 Sports, Scout.com. Some of the rankings are quite different. Do you know which one has the best reputation? I always thought Rivals and ESPN were the top two, but I'm not sure about that. Do you follow college football enough to help educate us?
I'm curious about this too. I use 247 the most and think they do a good job, but I only follow this stuff casually.
Based on those rankings, the Buckeyes seem to have held together pretty well, despite the controversy and uncertainty surrounding the program. Like you said though, other rankings are quite different.
Fields would be a great coup for the Buckeyes. Wasn't he the number one qb and/or recruit when he came out of high school?
I see there are a lot of different rankings out there. ESPN, Rivals, 247 Sports, Scout.com. Some of the rankings are quite different. Do you know which one has the best reputation? I always thought Rivals and ESPN were the top two, but I'm not sure about that. Do you follow college football enough to help educate us?
He was highly regarded, but I don't remember if he was #1 overall, or not.
I have read that he is (probably) going to apply for a hardship transfer, which would make him eligible next season.
Micah 6:8; He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.
John 14:19 Jesus said: Because I live, you also will live.
Good sign that our recruiting class is still holding up so strong
"First down inside the 10. A score here will put us in the Super Bowl. Cooper is far to the left as Njoku settles into the slot. Moore is flanked out wide to the right. Chubb and Ford are split in the backfield as Watson takes the snap ... Here we go."
I don't know if you guys are following it, but Mark Richt retired from coaching. That left Miami's job open. They then hired Manny Diaz, their former DC, who just took the job at Temple.
I don't know if you guys are following it, but Mark Richt retired from coaching. That left Miami's job open. They then hired Manny Diaz, their former DC, who just took the job at Temple.
Fields would be a great coup for the Buckeyes. Wasn't he the number one qb and/or recruit when he came out of high school?
I see there are a lot of different rankings out there. ESPN, Rivals, 247 Sports, Scout.com. Some of the rankings are quite different. Do you know which one has the best reputation? I always thought Rivals and ESPN were the top two, but I'm not sure about that. Do you follow college football enough to help educate us?
He was highly regarded, but I don't remember if he was #1 overall, or not.
I have read that he is (probably) going to apply for a hardship transfer, which would make him eligible next season.
Don't hardship transfers usually have to be moving closer to home to help with a sick family member or situation. I can't see how moving from Georgia to Ohio is going to make sense when he is from Georgia.
"First down inside the 10. A score here will put us in the Super Bowl. Cooper is far to the left as Njoku settles into the slot. Moore is flanked out wide to the right. Chubb and Ford are split in the backfield as Watson takes the snap ... Here we go."
So is this hardship transfer a policy, a requirement, a guideline, or loose precedent? Seems like it would fail any examination if it is a hard and fast rule.
"Every responsibility implies opportunity, and every opportunity implies responsibility." Otis Allen Glazebrook, 1880
We talked about this before. I favored four "best" as chosen now, along with four more teams selected as lower tier, especially if unbeaten, to play a "prove-in" game of sorts. Winner of those two pairs play winners of the top four pairings. We have enough time and Bowl Games galore to do this. The four now don't suit anybody completely it appears. The talking heads add nothing in my opinion. Justifying subjective choices. Two years neglecting any representation from major conference? This could be a fix. At the end of this day, what does the final victory represent? Over whom? Everybody but the Big 10 and Pac? May not be THE Answer, but it has some merits. Might give some actual merit to the raft of barely .500 fluffy bowls.
"Every responsibility implies opportunity, and every opportunity implies responsibility." Otis Allen Glazebrook, 1880
“To announce that there must be no criticism of the President, or that we are to stand by the President, right or wrong, is not only unpatriotic and servile, but is morally treasonable to the American public.”
So is this hardship transfer a policy, a requirement, a guideline, or loose precedent? Seems like it would fail any examination if it is a hard and fast rule.
"First down inside the 10. A score here will put us in the Super Bowl. Cooper is far to the left as Njoku settles into the slot. Moore is flanked out wide to the right. Chubb and Ford are split in the backfield as Watson takes the snap ... Here we go."
I'm going to miss Urban Meyer. Ohio State was his dream job and delivered the goods while he was here. The guy is one of the--if not thee--greatest recruiter in football. He gets a lot of bad press, but his former players think very highly of him.
way to go out Urban. I'll miss him as well; hard to beat what he's done
"First down inside the 10. A score here will put us in the Super Bowl. Cooper is far to the left as Njoku settles into the slot. Moore is flanked out wide to the right. Chubb and Ford are split in the backfield as Watson takes the snap ... Here we go."
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Undefeated against TTUN, your legacy is cemented in state history.
