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WATCH: Urban Meyer’s pep talk as a military academy head coach is outstanding
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In an interview with The Big Ten Network’s Gerry DiNardo, former Ohio State head coach Urban Meyer shared what he would say to fire his team up as a service academy coach.
Known for their option-based, run heavy attacks, service academies – Air Force, Army and Navy – have given Power Five opponents fits over the years.
Ohio State on BTN provided a clip of what Meyer had to say:
Ever wonder what @CoachUrbanMeyer would say to fire up his team as a service academy coach?
Neither had we, until he tried it out on @gerrydinardo.
We also have chills. pic.twitter.com/aceQSRJqrC
— Ohio State on BTN (@OhioStateOnBTN) September 11, 2019
There is a lot of sense to what Meyer is saying and it’s easy to see why it rings true. Army ran the football 61 times in their 24-21 double-overtime loss to Michigan at Michigan Stadium. Accumulating 200 yards on the ground, the Black Knights averaged just 3.3 YPC. If they had been able to run the ball more effectively, it is very possible Army would have completed the upset.
While he never coached at a service academy, Meyer used this principle to great success at four different spots. Known for his work with quarterbacks, the coach has helped mold two of college football’s most prolific running quarterbacks, Tim Tebow and J.T. Barrett.
Playing for Meyer at Florida from 2006-09, Tebow recorded 2,947 rushing yards (4.3 YPC) in his Gator career. After stepping down as Florida’s coach in 2010, Meyer stuck his toe into broadcasting in 2011 before returning to coaching with Ohio State in 2012.
Posting a 24-2 record throughout his first two years in Columbus, quarterback Braxton Miller thrived under Meyer’s tutelage, eclipsing 2,000 passing yards and 1,000 rushing yards in both seasons.
Taking over as the starter in 2014 following an injury to Miller, Texas native J.T. Barrett took the Buckeyes to even greater heights. Throwing for over 2,800 yards and rushing for over 900, Barrett started 11 games in their national championship season in 2014.
All told, Meyer posted a record of 83-9 in seven seasons with the Buckeyes.
A graduate of Bowling Green State University, Rydquist has been contributing to Saturday Down South and Saturday Tradition since 2019. He can be found on Twitter @TeddyRydquist.