Comparing On-The-Field Success To Scandals Off Of It

It seems bad news about a football program often breaks just as a new season is on the horizon.

That makes it tough for school officials to do anything as far as hiring a permanent new head coach. And while Ohio State officials have not officially fired their current successful head coach as of this writing it does appear inevitable.

Urban Meyer has been the definition of a successful college football head coach. It seems, however, he is also known for controversial actions.

Meyer is now on administrative leave after a bizarre series of events involving a former assistant coach as well as the head coach not being truthful about the events surrounding him. Buckeye players, along with their coaching staff, have now started preseason practice but Meyer is not with them.

How all of this plays out remains to be seen. It seems clear that Ohio State officials want to be able to find some way of keeping Meyer as head coach. After all, he has had a very high level of success leading the Buckeyes. No doubt school officials are weighing the negative attention this incident has brought (and will bring) and the recent on-the-field success.

Meyer finally fired an assistant coach after numerous reports of domestic violence. That topic far outweighs any scandal involved with recruiting which is typically handled with self-restrictions.

However, Meyer’s problems actually date back to his days at Florida, where he was also successful in terms of wins (and two national titles). Even the way he left was controversial as he retired supposedly for health reasons. After sitting out a season he was named the new head coach at Ohio State.

One incident at Florida sticks out in my mind about Meyer. That incident, caught on video, shows him basically challenging a sports writer to a fight during a practice sessions. No punches were thrown by either person but it showed great restraint by the reporter not to respond to Meyer’s threats. Believe me, some would have.

However, many remember the numerous players who got in trouble with the law under Meyer’s watch at Florida. Meyer was shielded from more negative coverage with the Gators mainly because of the positive press Tim Tebow generated. One has to wonder what Meyer’s tenure would have been like without the star quarterback.

Meyer has quickly risen up the head coaching ranks. After two years at Bowling Green he was hired by Utah and had a very high level of success in his two years out west going 22-2.

He was then hired by Florida and would eventually win two national titles. After his year off he has continued that success at Ohio State compiling a 73-8 record with the 2014 national title. His teams have been playoff contenders each season.

Just in his mid-50s, Meyer realistically could have decades more to coach. However, it remains to be seen if he will be Ohio State’s head coach for the 2018 season.

Some reports indicate a suspension may end up being a punishment (some have speculated three or four games.) However, covering up domestic violence (and then lying about doing so) is a great way to cast a national negative spotlight not only a college football program but the entire college itself.

The die-hard fan that cares only about whether his team wins could care less about all of the baggage Meyer carries around. However, it will determined by school officials whether it is worth it to keep him.

Remember Baylor officials decided it was not worth keeping former head coach Art Briles following numerous allegations of sexual assault by players. Briles made Baylor a national power to some degree but all of his success on the field did not save his job.

At one time coaches like Meyer and Briles could find exile in the National Football League. However, the NFL has taken such a negative image for its handling of player-related domestic violence incidents that Briles has been out of coaching since his firing from Baylor. He was briefly hired by the Hamilton Tiger-Cats of the Canadian Football League but the negative outcry quickly led to team officials reversing course.

Briles was recently named the head coach of a team in the Italian Football League. It is doubtful he will ever coach in the United States again.

The waiting game continues for Meyer and how all of this will play out. At one time coaches could survive scandals like the one going on at Ohio State. However, in the instant news world of 2018 that is not the case.

The old saying “for what profits a man if he gains the whole world but loses his soul” can clearly be used to describe Urban Meyer.

Monticello native Chris Bridges is a long-time newspaper columnist. He welcomes feedback from readers of The Monticello News at pchrisbridges@gmail.com.