Ad Disclosure
College GameDay staff breaks down impact of Urban Meyer’s absence in Week 1
By Paul Harvey
Published:
Ohio State’s Week 1 matchup is finally here, and one of the main storylines heading into the game is how the Buckeyes will deal with the absence of head coach Urban Meyer.
Meyer has been suspended for the first three games of the season with Ryan Day serving as the acting head coach in his place. There’s no denying the Buckeyes are among the most talented teams in the country, but missing Meyer could prove costly for Ohio State.
ESPN’s College GameDay staff took time Saturday morning to break down the impact on the team, and most of the staff believes the Buckeyes will still be energized and well-prepared for Oregon State.
“What you have to understand is Ryan Day has two former head coaches on the staff, and the players know how to prepare for games,” said Desmond Howard. “These players are used to preparing without Meyer…Today on the field, I think they’re going to be totally fine.”
While Howard focused on the preparation of the team, David Pollack believes the team will play with a bit of an edge to begin the season:
“What I heard from those sound bites is I think Ohio State is angry,” said Pollack. “They’re used to being favorites throughout the season…I think you’ll see more energy and anger.”
Kirk Herbstreit did note that missing Meyer, a coach he sees as “a master at psychology,” will hurt, but Herbstreit sees a lot of leadership on the team that the Buckeyes will lean on:
“First thing is Urban Meyer is probably a master at psychology, getting his team to peak at the right time,” explained Herbstreit. “The makeup of this team is interesting. You have seven captains. I don’t know if I’ve ever seen Ohio State have seven captains…I think that speaks to how many leaders you have on this team.”
It remains to be seen how the Buckeyes will perform in Meyer’s absence, but the team appears to have the talent, preparation, and leadership to remain strong under Day.
Paul is a lifelong fan and student of all things college football. He has been covering college football since 2017 and the B1G since 2018.