M-Borg vs. THE Flavortown U Thread, Orig. by Buckeye Paul, absconded w/by talent.

[iam416]

(1) I don't know what Urban's ties are to Ohio high school coaches, tbh.

(2) Tressel had the connections to Ohio. Those coaches loved him (and still do) and he loved Ohio High School football.

(3) Fickell is a great recruiter, but he has been tasked with areas outside of Ohio. He was responsible for Curtis Grant (and almost Tajh Boyd) and Sabino and almost every other big-time OoS recruit. He has a decent relationship with Ohio coaches, but nothing like Coach Tressel.

(4) All of that said, he's Urban freaking Meyer. Recruiting isn't a concern of mine.

(5) Fickell, I think, stays and possibly Heacock (UM3 has a relationship with him). The entire offensive staff is jettisoned, thank f'n christ, with the possible exception of Stanley Drayton (WRs).

(6) With respect to staff, it's blank check time. SEC money. Numerous "insiders" claim that, and I believe it. As to specific names, I haven't seen anything worth believing as to new staff. This is the only rumor I've seen:

"**Urban Bringing In A ‘Stud’? … We continue to drill down on the Urban Meyer-to-Ohio State situation and one of our trusted sources believes he has struck oil. Not only does this source believe Meyer is “in the bag” in terms of being the Buckeyes’ head coach in 2012, he believes he already knows who Meyer is planning on hiring as his offensive coordinator.
“I’m hearing he’s already contacted Greg Studrawa to gauge his interest,” the source said. “Safe to say (Studrawa’s) interest is high. Very high. In fact, I can’t imagine him turning down the opportunity to be OSU’s offensive coordinator under Meyer. They’ve coached together before, they’re both Ohio guys and this would be a move up in the coaching profession for him.” Yes, Studrawa is very much an “Ohio guy.” He is currently the offensive line coach for top-ranked
LSU, a job he has held since the Tigers’ national championship season of 2007.

However, prior to that, Studrawa was on the staff at Bowling Green for six years. Four as offensive coordinator (2003-06) and two as offensive line coach (2001-02). While he was the Falcons’ O-line coach, guess who was the team’s head coach? That’s right, Meyer. Studrawa also made coaching stops at Arkansas State (OL from 1998-2000), Ohio State (graduate assistant in 1997), Division III Wilmington (Ohio) College (offensive coordinator from 1991-96) and Cincinnati (assistant OL coach from 1989-90).

Studrawa, 47, is a Bowling Green alumnus and played for the Falcons from 1984-87. He was a two-year starter at left tackle. He was born and raised in Fostoria, Ohio, and is married with three daughters.
So, not only is Studrawa one of the most-respected offensive line coaches in the country, he has valuable experience as a play-caller. And Bowling Green was known as an explosive, high-scoring offense while he was there. (Can’t say we know too much about his coaching prowess while at Wilmington. We’ll effort on that one.)"

(7) The thought amongst OSU faithful has always been that Smith sees OSU through the NCAA process and retires.

That is all the information I have at the moment.

[iam416]

As an unrelated side note on the "Ohio" thing, some folks were talking about how Whitmer is become a mini-Glenville. That's very good news for M.

[lineygoblue]

Meyer was HC at Bowling Green, so I'm sure he knows his way around the state, and where the hotbeds of talent are. And as HC for OlieO, he won't find anyone slamming doors in his face. Recruiting won't be a problem for him.

I don't really fear Meyer as much as I would someone like Nick Saban or a Harbaugh-type coach. Meyer is more of a "flashy" style of coach, while Saban, Harbaugh, etc., are more smash-mouth tough guy coaches. Michigan has handled Meyer coached teams before, and I'm sure Hoke and Mattison will be up to the task of preparing for them.

I'm just surprised that anyone would think that Meyer is NOT coming to OlieO. That has been the most sure-thing bet since Tressel cleaned out his desk....

[iam416]

Whether UM3 will experience the same success at Ohio State as he has at BG, Utah and Florida remains to be seen. What I think is undeniable is that hiring UM3 instantly cures all of Ohio State's problems, assuming the NCAA ruling comes down as expected. An under-the-radar Jim Tressel-type may be a better hire, long-term -- I don't know. But there's is no hire that is even remotely close to helping OSU as much in the short-term.

And, yes, I prefer Saban, though he did manage to get outcoached by The Hat.

[Optimus Prime]

So now it's Tressel was "framed" and shown the door to make way for Meyer?
Wishful thinking at best, not to mention excellent timing.

It's also been said that Meyer was essentially measuring for drapes and was a lock for the Penn State job too,,,way too much Baggage for OSU. I'm telling yah, if he suddenly is "medically cured", he ends up somewhere warm.

[Dr. Strangelove]

Urban's health is the only thing that worries me. Jeff casting doubt on his ability to recruit in Ohio is sort of laughable.

Going back to Woody versus Bo, Woody had three national titles to Bo's none. Six to none if you're counting very generously. Woody's bowl record was also superior.

A comment on the time periods each coached. Woody coached from 1951-1978 whereas Bo coached from 1969-1989. Without question, the Big Ten's low point in its history came during the 70's and 80's, the period in which Bo's entire career happened to fall. Coaches that Woody faced annually from 1951 to 1968 that Bo never went up against (or barely faced) include:

Ara Parseghian (Northwestern 1956-63)
Bennie Oosterbaan (Michigan 1948-58 )
Forest Evashevski (Iowa 1952-60)
Duffy Daugherty (MSU 1954-72)
Ray Eliot (Illinois 1941-1959)
Ivy Williamson (Wisconsin 1949-55)
Milt Bruhn (Wisconsin 1956-66)
Murray Warmath (Minnesota 1954-1971)
Jack Mollenkopf (Purdue 1956-69)

Bo's career in the Big Ten coincided with the Big10 heading into a steep decline which is would not wake up from until the early 90's. Fair or not it should be held against him somewhat.

[hack]

If true we're gonna see if the spread can work in the B10 or not, right? That'll be embarrassing for some in A2.

[Optimus Prime]

Urban Meyer created an Empire in the State of Florida, he abandoned all that hard work under advice from his Doctors, taking the OSU gig is a huge step down. You don't leave Florida to head to Columbus and start over, Ohio connections or not.

[iam416]

I think you'll be suprised, OP. And, perhaps unpleasantly so if you still believe this:

If Tressel's departure only serves to open the door for Urban Meyer, I will be totally pissed. Fickell must have moderate "Rich Rod" success as the new HC in order to tie OSU's hands for 3 years or so...... If in the end if it only meant trading Tressel for Meyer (best coach in the game) the Big Ten is gonna take a beating! Enjoy your summer.

[DennisT]

Urban Meyer has great initials.

[whodean]

Sounds like OlieO fans are so ready to forget about the beatdown they know is coming next week they are dreaming of Saint Urban.

[Optimus Prime]

I stand by all of it, sure he is my favorite CFB coach, admired his work at Florida and I'd still be pissed if he indeed ended up at OSU even as slim as it may be, IMO.

You see, Meyer and I are Florida boys now, I met him at the FAU practice facility in Boca Raton while he prepared his team to kick Oklahoma's ass in the 2nd half.

We never discussed potential job opportunities, didn't have to, just National Championship strategy. FWIW.

[iam416]

I'm simply posting the gist of information I've obtained from sites you guys likely don't have access to. The Urban Meyer hiring has zero effect on M. M's program is settled with Hoke and Mattison and they're going to do what they do and, I think, they'll enjoy some success. It is, however, a monumental short-term gain for Ohio State.

Otherwise, I have no interest in "discussing" this (or anything else related to OSU football) on this forum. I only want to provide the information and, to the extent possible, answer, as directly as I can, questions about what's going on in Columbus.

You can take or leave what I post.

Incidentally, soom guy from CBS is "tweeting" 7/35 per Scout. I have no clue if that's accurate or not.

Also, most of you probably know that Brionte Dunn will be at the M-UNL game for an unofficial visit.

[Hannibal]

A monkey could recruit at OSU. Urban is already proven in that department and at OSU he would also have certain, ahem, "advantages" over his Big Ten brethren.

[Optimus Prime]

Of course this statement is just "double speak" in order to take the OSU job a month later?


Early line: Oddsmaker digs Urban as JoePa’s successor

Posted by John Taylor on November 11, 2011, 2:13 PM EST

Getty Images
With Joe Paterno out, Penn State will commence a search for a new head football coach since Lyndon Johnson was sitting in the White House.

The name that’s come up most often, even before the whole sordid tale became public knowledge, is Urban Meyer. The former Florida head coach released a non-statement statement Thursday addressing the speculation, saying that he is “very happy with my role at ESPN” and has “no plans to return to coaching” before adding the qualifier “at this time.