Urban Meyer Questions Continuing OSU Tradition After Kyle Whittingham Joins Michigan: “Can I Still..”
The ‘Game’ is not going to simply carry these centuries-long stakes for former OSU head coach Urban Meyer now. It would even be a battle between two of his former pupils. It feels nearly like the selection previous Obi-Wan Kenobi needed to make between Luke and Anakin. For Meyer, supporting Michigan may be at least supporting the Sith. And but, the darkish aspect assessments his loyalties, courtesy of his previous Utah Padawan, who he even helped land in Michigan.
The Rose Bowl towards Washington in 2018 was Meyer’s final recreation for Ohio State. In an unofficial ceremony after the sport, the previous head coach positioned a whistle round Ryan Day’s neck within the locker room, saying him as his successor. But many OSU followers may not know that he gave the same ceremony for now-Michigan head coach Kyle Whittingham at Utah in 2004. That two-decade-old bond has Meyer confused about his ‘hate’ for the group up north.
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“Let’s say there was a college football draft and Ohio State is up. Urban Meyer is out to do the pick, and the draft is being held in Ann Arbor, Michigan,” Rob Stone requested Meyer on the Triple Option podcast. Meyer shortly displayed his ‘hate’ for Michigan within the hypothetical state of affairs. “I’d bring my kid up like Mark [Ingram] “did and say the Wolverine still s–k.” However, the previous OSU HC instantly remembered his long-time “friend” is now UM’s head coach.
“I can’t. You know. I can’t. Can I still say that with Kyle Whittingham there?” a Meyer confused requested his co-hosts Mark Ingram and Rob Stone. Both Rob Stone and Mark Ingram assured Meyer that he can nonetheless say that for Michigan, since he’s “contractually obligated” to say it. But it nonetheless exhibits Meyer’s love for his former assistant and the bond they share.
Before successful two nationwide championships with Florida, Meyer was the top coach at Utah from 2003 to 2004, the place he compiled a formidable 22-2 file. Like many coincidences in his life, Kyle Whittingham was Utah’s DC below Meyer after the previous OSU head coach retained him from the earlier workers. Two years may not appear to be a lot, however for Whittingham, it was the turning level in his teaching profession.
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“I don’t think I would be where I am today if I had not had that opportunity to work for Coach Meyer for those two years,” Whittingham mentioned about his former boss. “And as I said, I found out right away that I wasn’t ready for the job when I thought I was. But two years later, I learned so much from him that I felt very comfortable taking over. And that’s how it laid out.”
Because of the ideas Meyer delivered to Utah and the ten years’ price of expertise Whittingham had as an assistant, he lastly grew to become the group’s head coach in 2005. But earlier than Meyer departed for newer pastures, the duo kindled an enduring bond and a mutual respect that steadily was a “close friendship.” So a lot in order that when Whittingham was pondering joining Michiganhe turned to the very man who terrorized UM for the higher a part of a decade.
Urban Meyer opens up on Whittingham reaching out to him for his UM choice
OSU head coach Ryan Day has a crystal-clear reminiscence of being garlanded with the whistle that Urban Meyer as soon as strutted round his neck. He calls it a “very memorable experience” and relishes it to at the present time. The identical occurred for Kyle Whittingham, who mentioned that he “had the same whistle ceremony” and nonetheless calls it a “great experience.” Most importantly, Whittingham took his friendship with Meyer to a different degree, and Meyer proven to be a true friend.
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“I’m a Buckeye, so my first thought was, ‘What?’” Meyer mentioned when Kyle Whittingham requested for his recommendation relating to his Michigan transfer. “He’s my friend. Kyle and I are really close, but it didn’t take long for me to put two and two together. Not only did I tell him that I thought it was a great move, but it was exactly what that school in Ann Arbor needed. They fell into the perfect guy. So when Kyle told me that, I said, ‘Kyle, it’s a no-brainer. You could win a national title there.’
It’s not just about being Meyer’s former assistant now. Whittingham is now the head coach, whom Urban Meyer helped become the head coach in Ann Arbor. Rooting against him would undoubtedly be hard, and it won’t be a surprise if we catch a sly smile on Meyer’s face after a dominant Michigan play. But at the end of the day, those seven years with Ohio State will probably reign supreme, and that UM ‘hate’ should overpower that old ‘Padawan’ connection.
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